


If it's the Last thing I Do

by MTMM



Category: Milo Murphy's Law
Genre: Across the 2nd Dimension, Ambiguous medical practice, Angst, Breif Sara Murphy, Forced Drug Use, Mental Instability, Mental Torture, Mystery figure, Slight torture, Solitary Confinement
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-02 04:24:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 39,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8651119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MTMM/pseuds/MTMM
Summary: NOT a request fic. A 2nd dimension Milo fic, Milo has been trapped and used as a weapon for who knows how long. Highlighting his life in his cell Melissa is on a mission to get him out, but no one will help her until a new recruit shows up. (Please read inside notes)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so, the writing might get a little awkward from chapter to chapter because the Milo chapters are kind of supposed to feel like his brain. Gets kind of poemy. 
> 
> Chapters are short. Will get longer.

It was dark. 

It was always dark. 

He could hardly remember the day.

Memory came in flashes.

In dreams.

In words spoken behind the door.

The guards talk of the resistance. They speak of his purpose. They rarely discuss politics. 

Though the voices were muffled they still seemed so loud. Loud to a boy who could only remember the calm Figures voice.

He couldn't remember any other voices. 

Not of friends, or family

A mother. 

The injections. The machine. The lightning. 

It had broken his memory. Among other things. 

He sunk low to the floor. Neglecting the bit of cloth they left for him as a bed, and instead taking refuge in a corner. He hugged his knees close to his chest, and used the miniscule sliver of light under the door as indication for whether or not his eyes were opened or closed. 

At that moment his eyes were closed. 

They opened at the sound of the door. The many locks creaked, and eventually the door opened, flooding part of the room with white light. 

Milo watched The Figure enter. He came slightly to attention, releasing his knees and placing his hands on the ground so they could help him move around. 

“Are you going to cooperate with me today?” Asked The Figure. 

Milo could not see his face. He only knew the voice. Oh, how he hated that voice. 

“Come on,” the voice eased calmly as Milo moved himself weakly across the wall in a desperate attempt to get away. 

The Figure knelt down. It grabbed him gently under the elbow, and turned the pit up, “come on,” the voice said again, “this will make you feel better.” 

Milo protested weakly, “No,” he said quietly, squirming against the grip. The Figure tightened his hold on the elbow and put a needle to it. 

Tears seeped from Milo's eyes, “please,” he pleaded, “I don't want it. I'll be good”

“Don’t worry,” the figure practically whispered, then beginning the injection. 

Milo clenched his fist but gave up squirming. It was too late. 

“there we go,” The Figure whispered, watching as Milo’s body relaxed. The Figure smiled, “Now don't you feel better?” He asked. 

Milo nodded, weakly. 

“That's a good weapon,” The Figure stood. He took Milo by the arm and pulled him to his feet. 

Milo couldn't remember the journey. 

But he remembered the pain. 

The cold metal grasping his wrists 

And the lightning. 

He couldn't tell when it ended 

Or when he was returned to his cell. 

But he rememberd the figure

And the voice. 

“Until next time.” It said, then closing the door. 

Leaving Milo alone. 

Stuck in his head

With nowhere to go.


	2. Chapter 2

Melissa finished off the last norm bot before running off down the hallway. More were bound to show up, and Melissa did not want to be around when they got there. 

She growled at herself. 

'not again’ she thought, slipping through a shoot before any of the backup bots got to her, 'I guess I’ll just have to come back.’ 

She slid down the shoot to safety. She landed in the sewers and from there made her way back to resistance HQ. 

\------------- 

“Reckless!” Sara called as she paced back and forth in front of Melissa, who was sitting on a supply crate. Sara stopped in front of the private, “this is the third time this month you've snuck into Doofs headquarters, and the third time this month you've gotten the caught. You are putting our cause in danger, Melissa. With every mission into Doof’s HQ we take, the more likely it is this resistance will be discovered and shut down, and after that we get turned into cyborgs! Do you want that!?” 

Melissa kept a hard, stoic expression

Sara calmed, “look,” she started, “I know- you want to get him back. I want that more than anything-” 

“Apparently you don't” Melissa spat, “Because if you did you’d be going in there with me, and making an EFFORT to get him back. But you don't!” 

“Melissa.” Sara warned sharply, shutting her up. After a few seconds Sara spoke. Her voice was low and intense, “don't you tell me I don't care. I’m here because I do care. About him. About all of you. I'm only here to see him set free when we crumble Doof's empire. You feel a guilt that's not yours. You want to save him. I get it. But putting everyone in danger. Being reckless, risking the resistance.” Sara shook her head, “that's not going to do it.” 

Melissa just scowled. 

“You’re on parole until further notice.” Said Sara after a moment, then taking her leave 

“You can’t do that!” Melissa argued, flying to her feet.

“I can, and I will,” Sara shot back from the door, “Until you get your act together I can’t trust you on missions,” he tone then lightened, “You need to rest, Melissa, and stop blaming yourself for things you just can’t help.” 

Melissa scowled as her superior walked out.   
As soon as she was gone Melissa kicked the crate she had been sitting on. It hurt, but she didn’t notice. 

She was going to save Milo. Even if it meant leaving the resistance. They'd served their purpose. Gave her Intel. Entry ways. Training. 

Now they were just getting in the way. 

Melissa was going to get Milo out. 

Even if it killed her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Milo visits The Doctor

Milo was tired. 

He was always tired 

His eyes drooped with a fatigue he could not waver, nor could he treat. 

But still, even through the brain of mush he now called his mind, he managed to feel a bit of excitement. 

He was to go to the doctor today. 

The Doctor was an angel among cyborgs. 

And devil's with no face, instead soft voices and needles. 

Milo loved The Doctor. 

Her hands were soft

And her voice was kind

She treated him carefully, and with kindness. 

She saw him as a patient

Not as a weapon. 

Though Milo could hardly tell the difference any more, it felt nice being called 'Milo’. Not 'It’ or 'weapon’

Her voice echoing his name was the only way he ever remembered it. 

This Doctor was fairly new. She had replaced a norm bot a few years ago, when Milo was near death and they decided the ten year old then needed a real doctor. He couldn't remember the norm bot check ups two years prior to her arrival. 

It was a memory he was.glad to be missing.

A norm bot came in to escort him to the office. 

He remembered the journey 

He remembered the office. 

It was so different from his cell. 

It was bright, and soft. 

It was warm, and clean. 

After a few moments of Milo sitting alone on the soft, paper covered cot, The Doctor walked in. 

She smiled at the sight of her patient. 

“Good morning Milo,” she greeted pleasantly, placing her clipboard on one of the counters, “how do you feel today?” She asked the drawn in boy. 

“Um. Good.” Milo practically whispered, rubbing his arm. 

The Doctor handed him a paper dress, “put this on please.” She requested. 

He took it

She turned around. 

“Ready?” She asked after a moment. 

“Yes.” 

She turned back to him and began the check up, “does your throat feel okay?” She asked, “you sound quieter than usual.” she put a tongue depressor to his mouth, “open up,” 

He did as he was told. 

She checked out his throat. 

Then examined his ears

“Any pains?” She asked, taking one arm under the elbow, “touch your fingers to your thumb. One by one.” 

Milo began slowly moving his fingers. It was something of a struggle. 

“Does that hurt?” Asked The Doctor 

“A little.” Milo answered.

His voice was shaky 

The Doctor's expression switched to concern 

“How has your head been feeling?” She asked, putting a light to his eyes, “have the headaches been any better?” 

“No.” Again his voice shook. 

“Lay on your back,” said The Doctor 

Milo did as he was told. 

“How have you been eating?” Asked the physician, feeling around his stomach, “any nausea or vomiting?” 

“I- threw up my dinner last night.” His voice broke, “I’m sorry.” he sounded as though he was on the verge of tears. 

“Milo, there is no need to apologize.” she assured. 

She mumbled something under her breath 

Milo could not hear it 

The Doctor told him he could sit up. 

“What did you eat last night?” She asked. 

“I don't know.” Milo answered honestly. 

“I’ll have to speak to them about that.” she said. Her tone was harder. 

She took the stethoscope from around her neck. 

“Deep breath,” she instructed quietly, putting it to his chest. 

His heartbeat was slow. But existing. 

“Lay on your stomach,” The Doctor instructed. 

Milo did as he was told. 

The Doctor examined the many scars that riddled his back. She paid particular attention to the series of zig zagging scars that trailed across in rows.They were small, and spread out in a fractal pattern from the origin, which was either a dried scab, or a fresh raw spot. 

“Do these hurt?” Asked The Doctor, running a finger lightly over one of the older scars. 

“Yes,” Milo answered quietly, “they hurt when I try to sleep. I can't lay down.” 

“Of course you can't all they give you is a dang piece of cloth” mumbled The Doctor. 

This time Milo heard it. 

“It's fine.” Milo assured quickly, beginning to sit up. 

The doctor eased him back down, “there's no need for you to defend it.” She said, “I'll try to get you a cot again. Now, I'm going to put some bandages over your scars and fresh burns to help them heal faster. I'm cleaning them out first, so it may hurt a bit.” 

Milo winced as the disinfectant burned his wound. 

The Doctor taped cotton pads over the scars and fresh burns, “you can sit up now.” She said when finished. 

“Hopefully those will help you sleep better. I’ll see what I can do about getting you something soft to sleep on. I’ll also talk to them about your diet. You need to work on your motor control,” she instructed, “I don't want you to lose use of your hands or legs. With all of the electricity they pump through you it's a very real possibility. So be sure to move around every day.” 

“Okay,” Milo agreed weakly. 

“Okay. Then we’re done for the day.” 

Milos eyes widened, “can't I stay a bit longer?” He pleaded, as tears peaked from his eyes. 

“I'm afraid not, Milo.”

“Please,” Milo Pleaded again, his voice cracking as tears flooded his face. The doctor put a hand to his cheek and wiped a tear away with her thumb, “Milo, as bad as it may seem, this will not last forever,” she practically whispered, “you are a fighter. And you will survive, I promise...Someone will come for you.” 

Milo put his hand on her wrist and let his arm hang there, “I want it to end,” he whispered, “I don't want this any more.” 

“Don't talk like that,” she demanded, “as soon as you give up, they win. Don't let them win. You are a beautiful boy. And you deserve so. much. better.” 

She touched her forehead to his. 

He wrapped her in a hug. 

“Come on now,” she said after a moment, “I need to get you back to your room.” 

She finished wiping the tears off his face before he got dressed and they got going. 

Milo walked close to her as he was escorted back to his cell. She held onto his hand, and helped him to walk when he found himself getting weaker. 

The guards stepped aside when the two approached the door. 

The doctor unlocked it and escorted him in. 

“Stay strong,” she whispered, setting down something beside him. 

She left. 

The door shut

And Milo was alone again. 

Or so he thought. 

His hand went down and found something soft. 

It came as a shock. 

Milo grasped the soft object and held it in front of his face. 

He could not see it. But it was soft. So he liked it. 

He hugged the soft thing. 

It smelled of lavender. 

Another shock. 

Milo laid down on his back. As he did his elbow hit something. 

He picked up the other object, but again could not see it. 

He crawled to the door where the only light lay, and tried to identify the object. 

It was rectangular, and dark in color. There were two buds sticking from the side of it, and beside them a button. 

Milo pulled on the buds. They came out of the device. 

There were words on them, “for...ears.” he read slowly. 

He did as he was told and stuck the things in his ears. 

Trying to figure the device he pressed the button. 

Sound blasted into his ears, shocking him to his feet. He quickly pulled the buds out.

A moment later, though, he put them back in. 

It was music. 

Milo hadn't heard such a thing in such a long time. 

It was painful, but refreshing. 

Milo laid down the device. He hugged his soft thing, which, by the light of the door he identified as a small stuffed dog, and fell asleep. 

The first sleep

Real sleep

He'd had in weeks.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melissa finds just what she needs.

Melissa was put on inventory duty. She despised the job but did it anyways, half assed, which was to be expected. 

Her mind couldn't concentrate on the cargo bins they'd gathered, and their contents. She was concentrating more on her next move. What could she do? Where would she go? And would anyone come with her when she left?

To the last, probably no one. 

To the others, she was still thinking. 

She has one mission in this world and that was to save Milo. And if no one was going to help her, then fine. Let them wait for the revolution to end. For Doof to fall. 

Milo didn't have time for that, Melissa could feel it. He was taken away long ago enough to be dead. He wasn't dead, though, and the resistance knew it.

As long as everything continued to go wrong, Melissa could be sure he was still alive. She just had to figure a way to get him out. 

Planning was something Melissa struggled with. She liked working alone, but knew she couldn't, yet kept trying, because no one would help her. 

“Private Melissa?” a voice came from behind her. 

“Yeah, what?” She spat, irritated, not turning to whoever it was that called her. 

“Uh-” the boy stuttered, “I’m a new recruit,” he explained, “Underwood, Zach. I was told you are supposed to be my- mentor?” 

Melissa finally turned to the boy. He looked to be about her age, clearly a new be. 

“Great,” Melissa grumbled, “now she's got me training lackies.” 

“Pardon?” 

“Nothing,” Melissa spat. She turned fully to the boy and put her hands on her hips, “you look like a wimp,” she commented, “what's your story, private. Who picked you up?” 

“Sergeant Sara Murphy assigned me to your sector, ma’am. She recruited me,” Zach explained, keeping his back straight and his hands stiffly at his sides, “she told me you would be training me.” 

Melissa pinched the bridge of her nose, “of course she did,” she grumbled, “I always get the new ones. Alright, soldier, at ease. This isn't a formal event, just follow me.” 

She lead Zach to the training facility. Melissa could figure Sara's angle in an instant. She wanted to get Melissa's mind off of saving Milo by assigning her to a new recruit. 

It wasn't going to be that easy. 

A day with Melissa and this boy was going to be begging to get reassigned. Melissa was going to make sure of that. 

“Ten laps.” She demanded as soon as they entered the large training “arena” as they called it. 

Zach seemed confused, “what?”

“You heard me!” Melissa yelled, “ten laps around come on let's movie it!” She started clapping, as if trying to wake him up, “we haven't got all day Underwood!” She called as he started running. 

“Pick up your feet!” She encouraged angrily after the fifth lap, “sissy's don't survive out there!” 

After Zach finished he fell over his knees and heaved in deep breaths. 

Melissa scowled at him “tired?” She questioned, “good! Now drop and give me 20!” 

After a couple seconds Zach did as he was told. After five push ups he fell to the floor. Melissa stepped over him, “you call those push ups!?” Melissa raged, “I’ve seen moldy bread do more push ups than you! Get up, soldier!” 

Zach struggled, but got back up and began doing push up again. He managed 20, through some Miracle. 

“That was pitiful!” Melissa yelled when he was done, “to your feet soldier, were doing pull ups!” 

Zach began to climb to his feet fairly slowly, “My dead grandmother could climb a mountain faster than that! To your feet, soldier, move move move!” She called, clapping her hands again, encouraging Zach to run to the pull up bar. 

“I expect thirty pull ups, Underwood! One less and were starting over from the beginning! Don't you dare let go of that bar!” 

It continued on like that for a while until Zach requested a short rest. 

“There is no rest in war!” Melissa raged, “you want a rest, then you can leave!” 

Zach stood up straight, “what’s next?” He asked. 

Melissa was genuinely shocked. 

She couldn't let him know that, though. 

“Combat.” She said bluntly, then making her way to the weapons closet. 

She pulled out two metal rods and a dummy.

“Repeat after me,” she instructed. 

She slapped the dummy with one end of the stick, then the other. 

“Do that,” she said, backing away, “100 times. After that, I’ll show you a new move. And so on.” 

Zach did as he was told. 

It went on for the rest of the day until all resistance members in Melissa's sector were ordered to return home.

By that point Zach was more than exhausted. 

“See you tomorrow,” he called to Melissa as they parted. 

Melissa was annoyed at first by this boys persistence. 

She quickly found, though, that this persistent new be was just what she needed. 

That is, if he was tough enough.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Milo finds his mind again.

Milo woke up with a start. 

He was still grasping the small stuffed dog

Music still filled his ears. 

Or, no, it wasn't music. 

It was news

Another humans speaking voice 

Milo didn't pay much attention to the words. He just likes listening to the voice. It was smooth and deep, and after giving the news it announced the next song. A classical piece. Something from their rulers home country. 

As the music played Milo laid on his back, eyes closed, and tapped a finger to his thumb with every changing note. 

He thought about his dream

The red haired girl was there again

She was crying

Milo did not know why. 

He approached. But she pushed him away. 

That was when he woke up. 

He opened his eyes as the song faded away. 

He held the stuffed animal close to his chest and thought. 

They were coherent.

How unusual for him. 

He thought of the red haired girl who often showed up in his dreams

She was always upset

Either yelling his name in distress, or pushing him away as she cried

It was always the same. 

Milo thought about her often, but did not think clearly of her. 

She felt like a memory

But he could not tell the difference any more between a memory and a thought. Both were so rare. 

It was strange

The feeling of alertness. 

It was something Milo rarely experienced, but found himself gaining with every note the device played. 

Every sniff of the lavender smelling dog woke up his senses. 

It felt good being conscious.

Though he knew it wouldn't last long. 

The Figure would come in and poke, either taking out or putting in. 

Sometimes it drew blood. 

Sometimes it gave him something

Milo hated it

That stuff it stuck in his arm hurt his head. It made him lose his mind. His memories. 

He wanted to keep those

He had so few. 

His memories were like treasures. They were small, and rare, so he kept them close, and held on tight until they were ripped away by The Figure and the needle. 

The Figure was a devil. 

Milo scowled at the thought of it 

The soft voice taunted him

The word ‘weapon’, spoken so pleasantly, plagued his mind. 

Milo sat up and leaned against the door. He stared into the pitch black room and, for once, found it strange.

How large was this room?

He couldn't tell, it was too dark 

What color were the walls, and what were they made of?

His sense told him the floor was made from stone, or at least something similar. The walls of the rest of the facility were metal, as far as he could tell.

So these walls must be metal. 

Milo’s brain felt overwhelmed.

So much information seemed to be flooding back. Observations. Thoughts. Memories. They all returned in blurred young forms, not yet shaped by experience. 

Milo could not remember a home before this. He could not remember a friend, or a family, or anything of that nature. He remembered the red haired girl, the thought of her as she appeared in his dreams, which he also rarely remembered. He remembered cold hands, and rubber gloves. Soft voices of devils with no name, but needles. The Figure. 

It who shaped his nightmares and left track marks on his young arms. 

He itched at them. 

It hurt. 

A pain that never stopped. 

“How-” he spoke, but his voice broke as memory faded, “Old am I?” he whispered, having never thought about it. 

He tried to think back, but ended up hitting a wall. There was nothing there past this morning, and even that was beginning to fade away.  
Milo looked at the scared pit of his elbow. He could not see it very well, but he knew the scars were there. The last injection had started to bruise, though. Milo could feel that. 

He stretched out his arm and felt the bruise pulse against his skin. It almost felt good. The blood pumping through his veins. It gave him the feeling of being alive, something he rarely felt any more. 

Milo enjoyed these feelings while they lasted. 

Sooner or later The Figure would come in and take his senses away. It would suck Milo dry with the needle and leave him there to rest a few hours before coming back in for another session of injections. 

Sometimes Milo got double the dose if he had seemed particularly antsy upon the first injection. 

Milo rubbed his arm uncomfortably. 

He didn’t like the injections.

They hurt

And they took away his mind.

Milo was beginning to like his mind,

He’d miss it. 

A few hours to Milo felt like a few minutes. The door vibrated against him as the creak of the locks sounded. 

Milo jumped to attention. He rushed to the other side of the room, faster than he thought he could go. He found the cloth they left him to use as a bed and stuffed all of his contraband under it. 

He gave the dog one last hug before stuffing it under, just in time for the door to swing open and The Figure to enter. 

Milo pressed himself against the wall.

He was feeling much more energetic today. 

Almost willing to put up a fight. 

The Figure spoke gently, “Come on,” it urged. 

Milo moved away, quicker than usual.

“No,” he protested, slightly louder than before. 

“Come now,” the soft voice urged, “It will make you feel better.

The cold hands grabbed Milo by the wrist, but the boy put up a fight. 

He struggled, and squirmed against the grip. He pushed on the hand that held him, 

“NoNoNo!” he protested, trying with all of his small might to get away, “I don’t want it!” he cried, “I’ll be good, I promise!” he sobbed, “I’ll be good!” 

“You’re already not being good,” The Figure said, pulling Milo closer, “Sit still” demanded the calm voice, a bit harsher than usual, “This will make you feel better.”

Milo looked down at the needle. His heart was beating a bit faster than usual, and his mind was racing, trying to figure any way out of this situation. 

He didn’t want this. 

“I’ll be good!” he pleaded again, “Please don’t! Pleease!!” he cried out as the needle pierced his arm. 

The Figure let go, “There,” it said in a soft voice, “Now that wasn’t so bad. I’ll be back later for your next dose.”

Milo was left on the floor. 

Curled up.

Sobbing 

And watching as his mind slowly slipped away.

“Goodbye,” he whispered, “Until next time.” 

\-----------

 

The Figure returned, just as it had promised. 

Milo hardly noticed it

"Are we feeling better?" it asked, too pleasantly. 

Milo nodded. 

"I hoped you would." it said, then taking Milo by the elbow, "come on now," it urged, lifting him off the ground. 

Though Milo's mind was wandering, something remained. 

Something that remembered. 

"Where are we going?" he mumbled, standing up. 

The Figure took him by the hand and practically dragged him out of the cell, "to The Machine." it said, "Come on now. Keep up."

Milo did not remember the journey. 

But he remembered it occurred

it had to have, as he was no longer in his cell. 

"What are we doing?" he asked, as someone undid the buttons on his dooferals. Whoever it was only pulled them down to his waist. 

"Just Lay down," The Figure urged, pushing him down onto a table, and spreading his arms out, "It will be over soon enough." 

Milo felt something pierce his back. Something clasped his wrists. 

Then came the lightning. 

Milo always remembered the lightning. 

it stung, and burned, resonating across his body. 

He could feel the lightning making imprints on his back, slowly and painfully crawling across his skin. 

He couldn't remember when it ended. 

He did not remember the journey back 

Or the injection he was given before being left alone in his cell. 

But he remembered the pain 

and he remembered that he once remembered more. 

But until the next day.

That would be gone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melissa realizes she needs a logical thinker more than she needs muscle.

As soon as Zach entered the facility the day after his first day of training, Melissa was on his back. 

She made him do drills, over and over and over again, until he felt as though he was going to collapse. 

“Ma’am, I know there are no breaks in war, but would it be okay if I got at least a minute of rest? Even battles have lulls,” Zach asked, letting his arms fall. 

Melissa scowled, “you get five minutes,” she finally said, “but not a second longer.” 

Zach's shoulders sagged with relief, “thank you.” he breathed. 

Zach sat against a wall and drank from a water bottle he'd brought with him. Not long after his break began Melissa came and stood over him. She didn't say anything for a long moment.

“Is something wrong, ma’am?” Asked Zach, looking up at her. 

“If you were thrown head first into an army of Norm-bots, one staff, no back up, what would you do?” Melissa asked.

Zach raised his brow, “honestly, ma’am, I'd probably run away.” 

Melissa scoffed, slightly to herself, “of course you would,” she mumbled, “and you’d be letting the Norm-bots past our front line. Smooth move, private.” 

Zach shrugged, “I was never one for hypotheticals. I can't imagine ever being thrown in alone right at the front lines, ma’am, and if I was I imagine it would be so I could draw their attention, leading them into some sort of trap, or ambush. More likely a trap, like leading them into some sort of scrambler that will fry their circuits.” 

Melissa lifted her brow, “looks like we've got a strategic mind.” She said, thinking this could be useful to both her and the resistance. 

Zach shrugged, "That's why I'm here, I was taken in as a strategist," he then continued on the hypothetical situation Melissa had thrown at him, “as for your proposed situation, I mean, no one would purposefully throw themselves in the middle of an entire army of Norm-bots unless there was some sort of purpose to it, and the things are so dumb and slow in large groups it's likely I could take down a few before escaping the horde. You can't just run in head first for no reason. And even if you do have a reason it's still not a good idea to dive in with zero plan.” 

Melissa looked down at him. Her face stood stoic, but she was listening. 

Zach noticed no reaction in his superior. He drew in just slightly, barely noticeably, embarrassed, and averted his eyes, “I just-”he spoke quickly, “don't think hypotheticals work very well in war planning. Not always, at least.” 

Again, Melissa said nothing. 

Zach was beginning to get slightly annoyed, “I don't mean to over step my bounds,” he said, trying to keep his voice in a respectful tone, “but is there something else you need, ma’am?”

After a moment his superior spoke, "Have you ever heard of Milo Murphy?" 

"WillgoWrong?" Zach questioned, confused now. 

"His name is Milo Murphy!" Melissa snapped, "I don't care about the lame code name Sara's given him. She just gave that to him because she's weak," 

"Weak how?"

"None of your business. Anyways, you're coming with me."

"Pardon?"

"You, Underwood, are coming with me."

"I don't think I'm following. Where are we going?"

"We're going on a mission. Tomorrow night, meet me in the tunnels, no questions asked. Got it?"

"Uh...Is this a test of some sort? This 'mission'?"

Melissa thought for a moment, "Yes," she said, "Now get up, your five minutes are over."

Zach got to his feet as Melissa walked away. 

She worked him to the bone, doing drills, sparing against him, making him run laps, do push ups, pull ups, sit ups, then start over. The start over again after they finished a second time. 

"Is all of this really necessary?" asked Zach, ready to collapse, "Or is it, at least in this capacity over such a short period of time?" 

"You tell me- after running from an army of Norm-bots and leaving them behind with your ability to easily navigate tight spaces while moving upward."

"I'm taking that as a 'Yes, eventually' " 

"Right. Now stand up straight, soldier, we're not done yet."

A second later the bell rang, signalling the end of the day for everyone in Melissa's sector. 

"Tomorrow. The tunnels. Don't be late." Melissa reminded Zach before they parted ways. 

"Yes ma'am," Zach agreed, then waving goodbye. 

\-------------

Melissa waited in the tunnels longer than she wanted to. When Zach finally arrived she waked him with her staff, "You're late," she said, then climbing into the mining car, "Soldiers can't afford to be late. A soldier late to the battle is a survivor."

"Isn't that a good thing?" asked Zach, climbing in behind her, "You know, surviving?"

Melissa pointed to him with her staff, "It's not if you were being a coward." she said, her voice low, almost in a warning tone. 

She sat all the way down and turned the car on

"Where are we going, exactly?" asked Zach, "These look like the tunnels that lead us to that back door." 

"That's because they are."

Zach was taken aback, "hold on," he said, "My training mission, test, whatever it is you'd like to call it, ma'am, is a mission into Doof HQ?"

"That's right."

Zach thought for a moment, "That wouldn't make any sense. I mean no disrespect, but for one thing, it wouldn't be sensible to send in two soldiers, and it certainly wouldn't make sense for a new recruits first test to take place at Doof's HQ." 

Melissa stopped the car with a jerk. She turned to the new recruit with a scowl, and poked him in the chest with a stick, "You sure do a lot of talking, new be, and I suggest you keep your mouth shut. It is not your place to criticize missions, it is your place to follow orders." 

Zach raised a brow, "Ma'am, Melissa. Is there something else going on here?"

"Private first class, Chase, to you, soldier. Now listen up. You and I are going to get into Doof's headquarters, " she stood up and put a knee between the cars so she could lean closer to the boy, and poke him in the head, "You're going to use that talkative brain of yours to get me in, to his cell, and then get all of us out. Got it?"

Zach crossed his arms, "So there is something else going on here." he said. 

Melissa stood up straight, "This is still a test soldier, and so far, you're failing."

Zach was tired of the girls act. He knew fully well this wasn't a test, "This isn't a test," he said bluntly, "Going straight into Doo'f headquarters, without back up, practically unarmed. It just doesn't add up. Not with the protocols Sara and Mort have been teaching me. And I don't remember them mentioning a field test."

Melissa felt like screaming. This kid just never shut up. What a smart Alec. What a know it all. 

What an observant kid. 

"Fine," she growled, "You caught me. This isn't a test." she put a finger to his head again, leaning down to look him in the eye, "And I need that little brain of yours to help me get into that building, up to Milo, and then back out, without getting caught."

Zach smiled, "is that all?" he said, half sarcastically, fully aware that was practically a suicide mission.

"Don't mock me logic boy," Melissa said, pushing back on his head before standing up straight. 

"Well," Zach started, "I'll tell you right now, you'll never get Milo out thinking like that. I know you're bringing me along because I was recruited as a strategist, but even we need time to think. You can't dive in head first. We'll never get through."

"Well then what do we do, genius?" Melissa asked, getting more irritated, but being surprisingly patient, "We don't have a lot of Intel on the lay out of Doof's headquarters."

"And that's exactly why we'd fail. Just out of curiosity, how many times have you tried this?"

"Enough to know I can;t do it alone."

"And how many times have you looked at any sort of map before diving in?"

"Once. Now get to the point."

"What I'm saying is, you need a plan. That's where I come in." Zach stood, "We pool our resources, take a day, then go in."

Melissa scowled, but she knew she had no other options, "Alright Underwood, We'll do it your way. But the only reason why is because I'm desperate," she assured angrily, "Tonight. The underground. Don't be late. We make plans there."

"I'll be there," Zach assured.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dr. D tries a new method to get Milo to and through extraction.

Milo hugged his small stuffed companion, and listened to the music they played over and over again on the device given to him by The Doctor. 

He laid, curled up in a ball, concentrating on the sounds that filled his once empty mind. He listens to the news man's deep, hypnotizing voice, but hardly ever listened to the words. 

He listened today, though. 

“Emperor Doofenshmirtz, our glorious leader, has declared today ChooChoo remembrance day. We will be broadcasting several moments of Silence in remembrance for the lost ChooChoo. The first, starting now.” 

Emperor Doofenshmirtz. Milo knew the name well, but wished he didn't. The one memory he wished he didn't have. What an annoying voice that mam had. And his eyes patch. It made no sense. 

Milos thoughts of dislike for Dr. Doofenshmirtz were always coherent. Yet still, even they seemed clear by comparison to before, when his mind was wiped out by the drugs The Figure insisted he take before every extraction. 

Milo hated The Figure, and he could not help but think of it. He despised the devil with no face, and wished more than many things that it would leave one day and never return. 

Milo could not remember a time before The Figure. He could not remember young arms not massacred by needle tracks, which he could not see, but ran a hand over every night before he went to sleep. He could not imagine a voice softer, and more deserving of hate. 

After the moment of silence, Milos mind calmed. 

He wondered, why waste his coherent thoughts on hate? There were better things he could be thinking about with the short amount of time he had with his mind.

Instead he elected to think about The Doctor. The thought of her brought a smile to his face. She was so kind, and gentle, and her voice, how he loved her voice. 

The only words of kindness he ever heard came from her. She often told him to continue living in the times he doubted it was worth it. She assured someone would be coming for him. 

Milo sat up, suddenly wondering. 

Who was coming to get him? She always said someone would come, but who? Milo hugged his knees, trying to reach back farther. Trying to remember. Who might it be. 

“There must be-” he whispered to himself, beginning to rock for a moment. He stopped, and leaned against the wall, releasing his legs, “there must be-” he started again, “someone out there...who cares about me.”

He pulled on his hair with one hand, as if trying to pull the memories to the surface, “Come on Milo,” he urged himself, “remember. You can do it. Remember.” 

But nothing came to mind. 

He loosened, letting his legs slip away from his chest. He sat there, motionless, letting his mind go blank. After a few moments, though, he shook off the empty mind, and began to think again, “No Milo,” he whispered, “You don’t have time for that.” 

He stood up and began pacing about the room. His legs were sore with disuse and abuse. He thought hard, for as long as he could before The Figure emerged with it’s needle. 

The door locks creaked, and Milo hid his contraband under the piece of cloth. Milo stood pressed against the wall, nearly petrified, yet ready to put up a fight. 

The Figure did not enter, though.

A loud, particularly obnoxious voice, burst into the room,“Come on Murphy!” it yelled, stomping into the cell, “Time for your extraction.”

The Voice grabbed Milo roughly by the wrist and began dragging him out of the room, “No!” Milo protested, trying his hardest to pull away, “let go of me!” he cried, trying to push the hand off of him.

“Quiet down!” The Voice demanded, “And stop squirming!”

Milo did not do as he was told. 

He tried his hardest to pull back on The Voice, “No!” he screamed as loud as his small voice could, “Let go! Letgoletgoletgo!!” he then let out a loud scream, continuing to struggle with all of his small might. 

The Voice suddenly stopped. He leaned down to the struggling boy, and pulled him roughly closer, halting all protest, “You’d better quiet down kid,” he spat, squeezing the young boy’s wrist tightly enough to leave a bruise, “I could break this arm,” he growled, “Now keep quiet and keep up!” 

Milo drew back on himself, but stopped fighting. He walked, barely keeping up. 

Every once in a while The Voice would tug on Milo’s wrist. 

Milo remembered the journey,

He remembered the large set of double doors,

And the pain in his wrist after The Voice let go, throwing him to the ground before a different body. 

Dr. Doofenshmirtz, 

“It took you long enough,” he complained. 

Milo was then taken by a different form. It grabbed him gently by the shoulder and lead him over to an X on the floor. 

Milo did not recognize the man who took him gently by the shoulder and lead him to the X. Milo could not concentrate on anything else, though. Milo watched The Man’s mechanical hand gently, and carefully undo the buttons on his dooferals. 

The Man wore a somber face as he undid the buttons and pulled down the dooferals. 

Milo cooperated. He did not fight or struggle. He felt almost safe with The Man. 

There was something different about him. 

The Man surprised Milo as he put a hand on his cheek and rubbed it with his thumb, “I’m sorry,” he apologized quietly. He then stood, took Milo by the hand, and lead him onto a platform with a metal bed in the center of it. 

The man took Milo under the shoulders and lifted him onto the slab. He laid the boy down, stretched out his arms, and pressed a button that seemed to activate the sharp, intense pain Milo remembered from the last time this occurred. It felt as though something had just stabbed him, and taken hold of his torso

Something then clamped down around his wrists. 

It was then Milo began to panic. He was in pain, being restrained, and confused. 

He recognized this place but it was not familiar to him

He remembered this pain, but only in flashes

Now it was here

With him

Happening to his conscious mind. 

Milo screamed. His breathing became heavy as his desperately tried to pull himself from the machine.

“No!” someone yelled, “Milo don’t move! You’ll just make it worse!”

Then the lightning came. 

It surged through his body and blacked out his eyes. He could not hear anything. 

His body burned, and convulsed. 

The Man turned away. He could not watch. 

Milo could not tell how long it lasted. 

But it felt like forever

Something loud pierced his dear ears

It took his brain a moment to realize it was his own screaming.

His nerves felt as though they were exploding

Being burned away one by one by the lightning.

When the torture finally ended Milo was petrified. 

The pain.

He remembered it

But not on that level

He had never felt anything so amazingly intense. 

So

Indescribably agonizing. 

His breathing hitched as his body was released and The Man lifted him from the table. 

Milo fell to his knees as soon as his feet were placed on the ground. He was shaking uncontrollably, so much so even his arms could not hold him up. He tucked his head into his chest and ran his hands shakily through his hair as his brain tried it’s hardest to comprehend what had just happened to him. 

He could not form words. 

Only shaken heaving breaths escaped his mouth. 

His eyes were betraying him

They only provided him with a blurred image of his surroundings

This caused him to panic even more.

Someone grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and lifted him back to his feet. 

His knees could not support him, however, so he just fell back down. 

“To your feet Murphy!” 

Milo’s ears were ringing,

Every word the people around him spoke he heard as if it were coming from behind a thick glass. 

Someone grabbed him roughly by the upper arm and began to drag him off the platform, “I said to your feet!” he yelled again, this time even louder. 

Another voice rang out, “That’s enough!” 

The voice was loud, and powerful. 

The Doctor pushed The Voice away from the boy, “You will not touch him again,” she warmed. Her voice was low, and intense. 

The Voice scowled. 

It looked to Dr. Doofenshmirtz, who was just sitting and observing. He looked to be in thought. 

He stood from his seat, “I will never understand you,” he began, addressing The Doctor, “Because you don’t seem to understand me, Doctor.” he said, stepping towards her, “I want a weapon, and that is all I want. I don’t want a human, I don’t want a boy, or a cyborg. I want. A weapon.” 

He came to a stop in front of her, “And weapons. Are not. Humans.” he said pointedly, “So why do you insist on treating it like one?”

The Doctor scowled, “Because no matter what you want,” she began sharply, “You have a boy. And he needs food, and care, and comfort, and to be treated like a human. I don’t care about what you want. I care about what you have.” 

Doofenshmirtz scowl deepened, but The Doctor continued, “I told you the rough approach would do you no good. And it didn’t. You were stupid to try.”

“You should watch what you say, Doctor. If you weren’t the boy’s doctor…” Doof didn’t finish. Instead he turned to The Voice, “Elliot,” he called sharply, “Go get it.”

The Voice smiled, “Yes sir.” he agreed, then rushing off. 

Milo, whose vision had cleared enough for him to distinguish the people before him, watched as ran off. 

He returned a moment later, holding something that he then handed to Doof. 

Doofenshmirtz pushed past The Doctor and grabbed the boy roughly by the shoulder. 

Milo felt something cold clap around his neck. 

It didn’t choke him, but it was tight. 

In a fit of panic Milo tugged on the collar. 

It shocked him in return. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” The Doctor growled, “A shock collar! He is a human being!” 

Doofenshmirtz, who had begun to walk back to his seat, stopped, “I don’t see a human.” he said bluntly, “I see a weapon. Meant to be used. And if that weapon doesn’t behave-” he pressed a button on a small remote, sending another shock through the young boy, 

“Stop that!” The Doctor demanded.

“He will be punished.” 

Doof threw the remote to The Voice before sitting back down, “Take him away,” he said, with a dismissive wave of the hand. 

The Voice smiled, “I’ll take that,” he said, going to take Milo by the arm. 

The Doctor blocked his path, and gave him a rough poke in the chest, “Touch the boy, you lose the hand,” she warned. 

The Voice scowled, but didn’t argue. 

The Doctor turned back to Milo, “It’s alright,” she quietly assured the still shaking boy, “come on now,” she urged gently, “Take my hand,” 

After a few seconds Milo lifted his hand to meet hers, 

“That’s it,” she breathed, “Now come on, you can stand. Take your time.”

Behind her The Voice scoffed, 

She glared at him, but said nothing. 

The Doctor leaned down to help Milo stand if he needed it. 

His weak knees collapsed beneath him as he tried to stand. 

He grabbed onto The Doctor’s arm and shoulder before he completely fell to the floor. 

She helped lift him up. 

“That’s it,” she encouraged calmly. 

Milo was shaky.

But he could walk well enough. 

“Can we get going!?” The Voice called.

Milo quickly latched onto The Doctor’s coat. 

She scowled at The Voice, but again, said nothing. 

“Come on, Milo,” she encouraged, smiling down at the boy, gripping her hand and burying his head in her coat. 

They began to walk. 

The journey was slow,

But Milo hardly remembered it. 

The Voice walked with them.

But Milo hardly noticed. 

Instead he concentrated on the warmth resonating from The Doctor.

He concentrated on her kind encouragement, and soft hand. 

When they reached the cell The Voice did not enter with them. 

The Doctor made sure Milo reached his corner. 

She rubbed her thumb over his cheek, “They will come for you,” she whispered, then putting Milo’s small stuffed companion in his arms, “Sleep now,” she encouraged, “I’ll see you tomorrow.” 

Milo was reluctant to let go of her hand. 

He wanted to speak,

To tell her not to leave,

But he couldn’t

“I’ll be back,” she assured, 

“I promise.” 

And then Milo was in the dark again. 

He could not tell whether his eyes were open or closed. 

He could not tell his position. 

He hugged the stuffed dog as tightly as his shaking arms could manage. 

But could not sleep

He could not think

All he could feel 

Was pain.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mission begins.

Zach spread out the maps he'd pulled from the Resistance archives. He had a vague map of Doof’s headquarters, and a map of the the city's underground workings, which was much more elaborate. 

 

Melissa looked over his shoulder as he examined the maps. It was harder than usual because all they had as a light was a head lamp. Turning on the power would alert the resistance that they were down there, and Melissa certainly didn’t want to do that.

 

“What are you looking for?” she asked, getting slightly impatient with the new recruit, who seemed to be looking at the map longer than was entirely necessary. 

 

“A better way in,” Zach mumbled. He pointed to the map of HQ, “See, where we were coming in is an old bot storage unit. It’s shut down, used for regular storage. That being said there’s still plenty of stuff in there. It’s likely a norm-bot will makes it’s way down every once in a while to dispose of something, or pick something up. I’d recommend not going that way.”

 

“Well, then what do you suggest, genius?”

 

“Well…” Zach thought for a moment, “You’ve managed to get out every time you went in, right?”

 

“I’m still here aren’t I?”

 

“Right. Sorry. Anyways, I doubt you went in and came out the exact same way. So how did you get out?”

 

Melissa shrugged, “I used vents, and the sewers. But that’s not going to help us very much, that would require climbing up, which we don’t have the tools to do.”

 

“I’m almost sure that there’s a way to get up without going straight up. We just need to figure it out.” 

 

Melissa let out a slightly annoyed noise, “How long is this going to take?”

 

“Planning takes a little time. I’m thinking as fast as I can.” He studied the map another moment before pointing something out, “What is this?” he asked, pointing to an unmarked line. 

 

Melissa looked at it for a moment, “That’s an old mine way. We used to use it before Doof found out about it and we had to block it off.”

 

“It looks like it goes right to the basement of the place.”

 

“That’s because it does. There was a hole, a venting system, it lead into the building. But like I said, the entrance is gone, we can’t go that way.”

 

Zach examined the map again. “I think we can,” he finally said, “The sewer system runs right above it. It’s narrow, but if there’s any kind of opening-”

 

“And what if there isn’t?”

 

“We make one then. Once we’re inside, then we can start thinking about where Milo might be. We should really see if we can even get in first.”

 

Melissa contemplated for a moment. What if this kid was wrong? Sure, he was a thinker, but thinkers aren’t always the best. 

 

Melissa shook the feeling off. Trying the same thing for the fourth time would be insanity, by definition. 

 

“Alright, strategy boy, we’ll do it your way.” she said after a while, “But if this doesn’t work, I’m dropping you.”

 

Zach saluted, “Yes ma’am.” he stood, “When does the mission start?”

 

“Right now.”

 

Zach was slightly surprised, “Oh-”

 

“Is there a problem, soldier?”

 

Zach shook his head, “Nope...I just thought it was dangerous to stay out of the house at night. Just in case anyone, or anything, came to check on the home.”

 

“Well I guess that’s a risk we’re going to have to take, now, isn’t it?”

 

“I guess so.”

 

Melissa made her way to the arsenal. She pulled out her metal staff, and a grappling hook, and told Zach to pick out whatever he thought he’d need as long as he could carry it. He chose an item similar to a grappling hook, but released at both ends, and a chain whip, both items he attached to his belt. He also picked up a small bag that hugged his back so he could carry the maps and still crawl through the sewer when it got narrow. 

 

Melissa lifted her brow at the selection but said nothing. 

 

“Come on,” she instructed, “I want to get there before sunrise.”

 

Melissa lead Zach to the sewer system. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience and Zach was not looking forward to when the system got narrower. He eventually got used to the smell, which Melissa had gotten used to a long time ago. 

 

“So, do you come here often?” he inquired, keeping a few paces behind her.

 

“I don't do small talk.”

 

Zach shrugged, “Alright. I just thought if the entire first part of our mission is wandering through a vast sewer system, we may as well spend it trying to get to know each other.”

 

“I don’t need to get to know you. You’re a recruit. I’m your trainor, you’re helping me get Milo Murphy out of Doof’s hands, and that’s it.”

 

Zach sped up a bit to walk beside her, “I realize that,” he started, “But I also know that I didn’t come on this so called “mission” just to help you get him out. I want to know what got him in.”

 

Melissa looked at him, slightly confused, “What do you mean?”

 

“I mean,” Zach gave a small shrug, “Everyone seems to make such big deal about this kid, but no one speaks above a whisper. I want to know what the big deal is. Plenty of us have been captured and turned into cyborgs. What makes him so special?”

 

Melissa stiffened. For some reason the question angered her, “He just is,” she answered.

 

 

\-------

 

 

Sara made her way home after headquarters was empty. 

 

She was always the last to leave, making sure everyone was gone before turning on the security system and leaving herself. 

 

She entered her house silently, closing the door carefully behind her. 

 

She sat at the kitchen table as her mother warmed up a meal. 

 

Mrs. Murphy was grayer than most. 

 

She stared blankly at the microwave  
She didn’t say anything as she placed the doof approved meal on the table 

 

Her eyes were dark, like the bags under them

 

Her hair was a bit of a mess

 

She’d gotten up not even an hour prior

 

Sara stared at her mother as she ate, 

 

“Mom?” she questioned quietly, “How are you feeling today?”

 

Bridgette didn’t answer.

 

Sara pushed on, “I see you’re still not wearing your prosthetic,” she observed. 

 

Bridgett never wore it. This was nothing new.

 

Sara knew very well why she never wore it. She’d rather have no arm than a “Doof Approved” one. 

 

“You went down there again didn’t you?”

 

The sound of her mother’s voice shocked Sara out of her thoughts. 

 

“I did,” Sara confirmed.

 

Her mother put on an expression similar to pain, “Why?” she practically whispered, “Why do you keep doing this?”

 

“They need people, mom...they need leaders.”

 

“And you think you can be that?” he mother shot, still not looking at her,“You think you can do what I’ve done?”

 

Sara shrugged, “I’m your daughter, right?” she wasn’t looking at her mother. Instead she stared at the food she twirled around her fork, “I know you don’t want this for me…but down there, without me, they could carry on, sure, but in what direction? They need a leader they need...you.”

 

Mrs. Murphy did not reply. She stared blank faced at the food resting on her plate, which she had yet to touch with the fork in her hand.

 

Sara twisted her lips in thought. She wasn’t sure if now was a good time to make the proposal that had been flying around her head all day. 

 

It was a good as time as any, she supposed. 

 

“I’ve been thinking,” she started, “I think- I think we should go on a mission to save Milo.”

 

Bridget stiffened. 

 

She dropped her fork onto her plate and stood up. 

 

Without a word she proceeded to throw out the food on her plate and begin doing dishes. 

 

Sara stood and came around the counter, “I think it’s time-”

 

“Time for what?” Mrs. Murphy snapped, “Time to make our move? To invade that demon, to save-” the words caught in her throat, “To get hurt?” her voice broke with the words, “to put your life in danger? To get them out?” she put a hand to her mouth, as if trying to hide the shaking voice. A moment later she let out a breath, “No,” she said, then taking a deep breath, trying to compose herself. The breath she let out was even shakier than any before it. 

 

“Mom, we can't just keep standing by. We're going to have to make a move eventually, why not now?” 

 

Bridget turned sharply to her daughter, “you are not going in that building!” She yelled, her voice falling to pieces. She took a step towards the young girl, “don't even go near that building!” tears peaked out of her eyes, 

 

Sara took her mother by the shoulders as the woman crumbled to the floor. 

 

“If we don't get him,” Sara said quietly, “then who will?”

 

Bridget lifted her head to look at her daughter. Tears flooded the broken mother's face as she reached her hands up and placed them on Sara's cheeks. “I already lost my boys,” she whispered, her hands shaking, “I can't lose you too.” 

 

Sara took her mother’s hands. 

 

She let out a small sigh, “Okay,” she agreed, “Okay I won’t. I’m sorry mom.”

 

“Promise me,” Bridget whispered, “Promise me you will never go there.”

 

Sara squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, forcing back tears. They popped back open, “I promise.” she started, “I won’t” 

 

After another moment Sara helped her mother to her feet, “Come on,” she urged, “Let’s get you back to bed.” 

 

Sara helped her mother back to her room before going off her her own room.

 

Sara fell onto her bed, “What am I going to do?” she mumbled into her pillow. A few seconds later she heard a light beep coming from the mirror hanging on her wall, “Oh no,” she leaped from the bed and ran to the mirror. She pressed a button on the side. Her reflection disappeared and was replaced with video feed of the resistance underground. 

 

Sara was worried that a norm-bot had found it’s way down to her facility. 

 

She sighed with relief and annoyance when she found it wa Melissa who set off the silent alarm. 

 

And-

 

Sara squinted at the screen, trying to identify the other figure that came from the elevator after Melissa, “Zach?” Sara questioned to herself. 

 

Sara put on a hard scowl, crossing her arms, “Now you’re roping new recruits into this, that is low, Melissa.” she was whispering, “And you, Zach, I expected more.” 

 

After a second Sara’s expression lightened. She sat and watched as The two looked through the archives and went off to the sewer. The swamp city resistance leader let out a small breath. “Go get him, Melissa,” she whispered, wiping away a small tear she’d accidentally let slip, “Go get him.” 

 

\--------------

 

The sewer was progressively getting narrower as Melissa and Zach made their way through. Zach was beginning to get uncomfortable, so he started talking. 

 

“So what’s your story?” he asked, trying to keep himself from hyperventilating, “How’d you get into the resistance?”

 

“I told you,” Melissa started, “I don’t do small talk.”

 

Zach, who had been keeping pace a few steps behind, hurried up to her, “I wouldn’t call it small,” he defended, “Asking how your day was, that’s small. Asking how you got into a top secret highly organized organization of youth set on taking down the dictator- I’d call that conversation.”

 

“I don’t converse either.” 

 

“Then what do you do, stare intensely at wall until they move?”

 

“I don’t do jokes either,” she growled. 

 

“Well I hope you at least breathe,”

 

Melissa stopped, turning sharply to the boy. She put a finger on his chest, “I didn’t bring you here to talk.” she shot, “I brought you here to plan-” she took hold of his backpack, pulling him forward, and grabbed the maps out of the bag. She shoved them into his chest, “Now start planning.” 

 

She turned and started back down the sewer. 

 

Zach let out a small sigh, but did as he was told. There wasn’t much to be done, though. It wasn't as though he knew where they were keeping the kid. What was so special about him anyways? If Zach had all of the information he’d have more room to think. Obviously this Milo kid was important, and Doof wanted him. 

 

So he was a prisoner, obviously, but he was a special prisoner. Does that mean he’d be kept in a special area? Zack located the cells on the map of Doofs headquarters. They were located on the south side of the building, a few floors above where they’d be entering. 

 

They were so close to both the entrance he and Melissa were using, as well as the one they’d usually use. Zack assumed, in that case, that Melissa had already checked there. He would ask, but he didn’t feel like getting yelled at. He decided to follow the hunch. He still needed to know about the kid, though, if they were going to get anywhere.

 

“Melissa?” Zack asked.

 

“It’s Private first class-”

 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, first class chase, whatever. As much as you don’t want to talk about this Milo kid I am going to have to know at least something if I’m ever going to get us to him.”

 

Melissa didn’t say anything for a moment, “Anything that can go wrong, will.” he finally said. “That’s all you need to know.”

 

Zach didn’t find it helpful at first. He was overthinking it, 

 

‘Alright,’ he thought, ‘So if anything can go wrong, then...the bars would fall off his cell. So, he wouldn't be in a normal cell. Anything- Uh…” Zach thought hard, thinking up anything that could possibly go wrong while trying to keep someone imprisoned

 

He drew their root on the map. 

 

“Heads up rookie,” Melissa called, breaking Zach’s concentration. 

 

He looked up to see she’d stopped, and was now facing him, “We’re going into the deep,” she said. Zach hadn’t realized how small the cavern had gotten. How long had he been working?

 

Before them was the entrance to what was probably the last part of the sewer a human could fit in. 

 

Zach gulped. He put away the maps, “We have to go in there?” he questioned, trying to keep his voice from shaking. Melissa raised her brow at him, “Where else would we go? Why? Is there a problem?”

 

Zach shook his head, “N-no. Of course not.”

 

Melissa gave him a look, “Then come on, tough guy.” she said, then climbing up into the passage. Zach hesitated. 

 

“Come on!” she called from inside, “We don’t have all night!”

 

Zack took a deep breath. Which was a mistake. He fished one of the maps out of his backpack, knowing the space was too tight for him to get it out once he crawled in. After another few seconds he climbed up and followed behind the red haired girl. Zach continued to look at the map as he shuffled his body through the sewer, trying his hardest to keep himself distracted. It wasn’t working too well.

 

“How far until we reach out destination?” Asked Melissa, glancing behind her.

 

“Uh,” Zach examined the map, “How far have we gone?” 

 

“Fifty feet at least.”

 

“Alright. I’d say fifty more feet, based on this scale. Let’s hope there’s a release panel. We’ll know when we’re below the cavern by the sound the sewer makes.” he tapped on the wall, “We’re not there yet.”  
Zach put all of his concentration on the map as they continued to crawl. The lack of light helped him through, but seeing Melissa so close ahead of him was unsettling. A little while in the tunnel began to sound different, “I think we’re getting close.” said Zach. 

 

“We’re going to go ahead and see if there’s an opening.” Said Melissa, continuing to crawl.

 

They found nothing. 

 

“Alright then,” Melissa mumbled, detaching something from her belt and backing up, “We’re going to have to blow it,” she said, continuing backwards. 

 

“No!” Zach cried, leaping forward, running into her,

 

“Hey!” Melissa growled, shoving him away, “Get off! What is your problem?”

 

“This is a sewer. One thing explodes, we run the risk of everything exploding. Do you have any idea how many gasses are in here?”

 

“Enough to make me feel nauseous,” Melissa practically growled, turning painstakingly to her colleague, “I can’t breath in here, so you’d best have a better idea, strategy boy.”

 

Zach pulled something from his belt, “Here,” he began pouring a liquid onto the sewer lining, “This burns, but doesn’t explode,” the acid fizzled for a moment before completely chewing away the metal. 

 

The slab fell away, and, to the pairs surprise, landed with a splash.

 

Melissa and Zach peaked into the hole, “Looks like it’s flooded,” said Zach, then looking back to Melissa, “Hope these lights are waterproof.”

 

Melissa took a quick glance at herself, “I hope that water’s clean,” she mumbled, mostly to herself, “Well, come on strategy boy, let’s dive in.”

 

“I’ll follow you,” Zach said, looking back through the hole. 

 

Melissa scoffed, “Wimp,” with that she took her leave, diving into the murky deep.

 

Zach took a few quick breaths, “Alright,” he breathed, then plugging his nose and letting himself slip through the opening. He landed with a painful splash, but the water was closer than he expected. He reached the surface heaving a great breath of air, “The basement must have flooded,” he called, looking around for Melissa, “Melissa?” he asked, turning in circles, “Melissa!?”

 

“Over here!”

 

Zach spotted her over by the wall.

 

“I think you’re right,” Melissa said, as he swam over, “The entrance is a few feet below the water. I can feel it. Now what genius? We can’t go this way!”

 

“Uhh,” Zach stuttered, “I wasn’t expecting this.” he looked around, desperate for an answer. He thought hard as Melissa mumbled about how this was a bad idea and she should have just come herself, and she shouldn't have trusted the new guy. 

 

“Just let me think,” Said Zach, rubbing his head and squeezing his eyes shut. After another moment an idea popped into his head, “A drainage system,” he said to himself, “There has to be a drainage system!”

 

“There was!” Melissa growled, “But it got blocked off when Doof closed us out.”

 

“Then we’ll have to reopen it.”

 

“You tell me when you grow gills, strategy boy, because that release valve that’s keeping us from this area is all the way at the bottom.”

 

Zach had to debate with himself, “To the bottom we go them.”

 

“What?”

 

Zach drew in a large breath before taking the dive. 

 

“Zach!” Melissa called after him. 

 

Zach new for a fact that he could hold his breath for a single minute before he started to lose it. Which meant he had about 45 seconds to get to the bottom, pull the lever, then get back to the surface. 

 

It took him fifteen seconds to reach the bottom. He looked around the foggy water. Through the murkiness he spotted what looked like a door. Or, at least, what used to be a door. He swam over to it and felt around until he found the release valve.

 

He pulled with all of his might, which wasn’t much. After a few tugs bubbles sprung from his mouth. He put a hand over his mouth and winced. He was out of time. It was time to surface. He pushed off the ground and propelled himself to the surface. 

 

As soon a his head broke free he began trying to catch his breath, “Melissa!” he called,

 

“Zach!” Someone called from across the cavern, “You idiot!” she yelled, swimming over to him, “Are you trying to get yourself killed!”

 

“I think I found the release valve.” he said, still out of breath, “But it’s rusted shut. I can’t get it open.”

 

“And you probably never will, new be, I told you, we have to find another way.”

 

Zach scowled, “No,” he said, hardening his tone, “We have to work together. This trip isn’t going to be short,” he took a break to breath, “If you want to get this Milo kid out then you’re going to have to start seeing me as more than the idea guy, and more as your partner. If you want to try your old plans again, be my guest. But you will fail, Melissa, just like you always have.” 

 

Melissa scowled at the harsh words, but gave no reply. 

 

“Now I’m going back down there,” said Zach, “And I’m getting that valve open. With or without you.”

 

With that Zach took in a few short breaths before heaving in one large one and diving back down. 

 

It didn’t take long for him to reach the valve, so he managed to put much more effort into it than last time. After almost forty seconds the valve had hardly budged and Zach was beginning to weaken. 

 

Just as he was about to give up and go back for air another pair of hands joined his on the valve. Zach was surprised to see Melissa had joined him. She gave him just the slightest smirk before they began to turn the wheel together.

 

After almost fifteen seconds they managed to get it unstuck, and twist it. They both heard a large creaking noise and the water began to drain from the cavern.

 

By that point Zach began to feel light headed. Air bubbles forced themselves from his mouth as he grasped his throat. His vision started to blur and he soon lost motor control. His head was pounding as he fell unconscious. 

 

Melissa leaped into action. She grabbed Zach under the arms and began dragging him to the surface. 

 

\-----------

 

“One, two, three…”

 

The voice was a whisper

 

“One two three…Come on,”

 

It was getting louder.

 

“Come on strategy boy, don’t die on me.”

 

A sudden flood of fluid hurled itself up Zach’s throat. He opened his eyes, but could only see blur. He turned over and hacked up the rest of the water. It burned as it emerged. He let out a series of rough coughs as his vision cleared. The area was much brighter now. An emergency generator had reactivated.He heard someone call his name. 

 

It took him a moment to remember what was going on, “Melissa?” he questioned, looking over his shoulder. His voice was raspy and his airway was still trying to get all of the liquid out.

 

“Zach!” Melissa called with relief. 

 

She smacked him in the back of the head, “You idiot!” she called, “I told you not to go back down there! You almost died, new be, then where would I be?”

 

Zach got off of his knees and sat with his legs out, “Hey, you came down there with me,” he said, still trying to catch his breath, “So, I think you mean, where would we be.”

 

Melissa scoffed, rolling her eyes, “We’d be dead,” she said, standing up, “Or at least you would be. Now come on. The vent is over here.” 

 

Zach smiled, but said nothing. 

 

He followed her to the ladder leading up to the open vent. Some water was still flooding out, but not enough to sweep them away. 

 

Luckily for Zach the vent was unusually large. Not huge, but big enough to sit, turn, and kneel in. Much better than the sewer at least. 

 

“So,” Started Zach, climbing up the ladder behind Melissa, “Ready to dive into the unknown?”

 

“I’ve already done that today,” said Melissa, switching her light back on as she reached the entrance. She handed him back the map he’d lost in the flood.

 

“From here on in, we’re in enemy territory.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read this over once, so let me know if there are any glaring mistakes.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There have been some slight changes.

Milo awoke with a start. 

The little red haired girl had been struck by lightning. 

Milo’s breathing was heavy

He felt around the floor, looking for his small stuffed companion. 

With a breath of relief he found it. 

Rocking back and forth he squeezed the small stuffed dog. 

He was afraid to close his eyes

Since that day The Voice had arrived to drag him to extraction the lightning had invaded Milo’s dreams 

It wouldn't leave him alone. 

He'd lost sleep

More than usual. 

His body was stiff with fear

He didn't want The Voice to come back. 

He didn't want to have his wrist squeezed, or get yelled at

He half Preferred The Figure, but barely

He really preferred neither 

He took hold of his head. 

It was pounding 

The burns on his back seemed to hurt more than ever. 

The pain crawled up his spine and invaded his shoulder blades. It crept all the way to his raw fingertips. 

To keep his mind busy Milo used to pick at the stone on the floor of his corner until his fingers bled. He still did it, but not as much as he used to now that he had the dog. 

His hands were mostly numb to the pain, but the rest of him certainly wasn’t. 

He scratched at newly formed bruises. 

It has been two days since the last extraction. Since then The Figure had come in to give him his daily dose of whatever it was that made his mind disappear. And The Man had come in to deliver Milo to his newly implemented “training sessions” in which The Voice would test out the shock collar. 

He would give Milo demands and if he didn't follow them he’d get a shock. As harsh as The Voice saw fit. The Voice didn't just use the collar, though. He often took Milo by the wrist, or arm, and squeezed so hard it caused a bruise. 

Milo put in his ear pieces, trying to block out the noise. 

He'd managed to memorize the new schedule. 

Wake up. 

An hour later, eat. 

Two hours after that

Training

That lasted two to three hours depending on The Voice’s mood

An hour after that he was given another meal, one he no longer ever felt like eating

Two hours later

The first injection, which took the pain away but blurred his thoughts

Not long after that The Figure would return 

Milo received his second injection. 

He would then relax

After that came the extraction. 

Milo tried to make the hours pass slow. 

The radio man announced the time every hour, which is how Milo knew. 

The hours passed quickly

Big bands beat through his ears. The loud honking of tubas, and drum slaps awakened his mind. 

Every once in awhile a piece would include an instrument Milo did not remember, yet it was so pleasant and familiar. 

He quite enjoyed it. 

After the first hour a hatch on his door slid open and a plate of food was shoved in. 

Milo crawled over to the Doof approved meal. 

He ate it slowly, not paying much attention to the food. He concentrated more on the music and the light beneath the door. The light was soothing to the eyes, and the music to the mind. 

He tried to keep his mind off the pain seething through his body. 

Milo had begun to cooperate with The Figure slightly more. He didn't like being forced, and he didn't like losing his mind, but he also didn't like the pain, and, although he hated forgetting, at this point, he'd rather forget. 

As much as he hated being forced to relax Milo could not deny that it felt good. 

It allowed him to sleep, and be calm, while the alternative was restless anxiety. 

He much preferred to sleep. 

Milo was broken from his thoughts when he reached down to his plate but found it empty. 

He looked down at it to be sure he just wasn't missing anything. After seeing he wasn't he pushed the plate back up against the door and crawled back to his corner. 

He tried to lay down but found every angle uncomfortable, so decided on sitting up. 

He sat cross legged, hunched over. Leaning against the wall hurt too much. 

He brought his knees to his chest and hugged the small stuffed dog. 

“Dog.” He mumbled, “D-o-g” 

When Milo was coherent he often practiced the few things he remembered. Having been taken away so young his level of education was that of third grader. 

“Wall.” He said, “w-a-l-l” 

In the past year, behind everyone's back, The Doctor had begun going over words with him. A few words at a time, and mostly things he had access to in his cell, 

“Music” was the next word. “m-u-s-e-k...no.” he knew it was wrong but could not remember the correct answer. 

His head hurt. 

He gave up. 

Milo let himself drift back into a loose sleep before The Man came to take him away to training. The Man had been around a lot lately, since Milo’s last extraction. He took Milo everywhere now.

“Come on,”The Man urged calmly, putting his hand out. He did not take many steps toward Milo. 

Milo noticed this behavior. 

He drew himself in, tucking his arms into his lap and covering them with his legs so that The Man could not grab them. 

After a little bit The Man stepped further into the cell. 

He knelt down to the young boy

“Come on,” he urged again, keeping his hand out.

Milo looked at The Man. 

The human half of his face looked sad. His eyes were dark with something. 

Milo did not know what.

The Man rested a light hand on Milo’s arm, 

“You can see the doctor,” he said, “Afterwards. She wants to see you.” his voice was stiff, but soft. 

Milo liked The Doctor. 

Milo also found himself liking the man

“I don’t want to force you.” the robot like voice said.

Milo looked blankly at The Man. 

He was new to Milo’s life, yet so familiar. 

A voice called from the door. It was one of the guards, “What’s taking so long!?”

The Man jumped at the words. He took a glance over his shoulder before looking back to Milo, “Come on,” he said again,

Milo furrowed his brow with distress. He eventually put out his hand for The Man to take. 

They stood up together. 

The Man took Milo by the back of Milo’s shirt as they walked past the guards. 

As soon as they were clear from view, though, he let the collar loose and asked that Milo take his hand.

Milo did as he was asked.

He huddled close to The Man, and held tightly to his human hand. 

The journey to the training room was a relatively long one.

Every once in awhile Milo would trip over his own feet

The Man would hold tightly to his hand and help lift him back up. Not in a mean or angry way, like The Voice, but in a kind, helpful way, like The Doctor. 

The Man never made a sound

He hardly spoke other than to ease Milo out of his cell. After that he was silent. 

He was stone faced 

But sad 

Milo looked up at him as they walked, examining the half man.

He glanced down at Milo, who was staring up at him with big brown eyes

For a moment he slipped, letting just the tiniest smile turn his lips. A second later he corrected himself, quickly losing the smile and staring straight again. 

As they approached the door to the training room The Man took hold of Milo’s shirt again. 

He shoved Milo into the room, causing him to fall at The Voice’s feet

“It took you long enough,” The Voice practically growled.

The room was not much larger than Milo’s cell. It had blank white walls and a stool in the middle. 

“On the chair,” The Voice demanded, pointing to the stool.

Milo began to stand. 

He received a shock, 

“Faster!” 

Milo hurried to the stool.

He sat on top of his hands

“Hands on your lap.” 

Another shock

“Sit up straight.” 

Another

They were getting progressively more intense. 

The Voice leaned down and stared Milo in the face, “What are you?” 

They’d gone over this,

“A weapon.” Milo answered quietly 

“Louder!” The Voice demanded, sending another jolt through the boy. 

Milo winced, “A Weapon,” he said only slightly louder.

Again, he got shocked 

“I said louder!” 

Milo winced. He received another dose of punishment when he didn't answer quickly enough. 

“A-a Weapon!” he stuttered, much louder than before 

Again, he was punished, 

“Don't stutter,” The Voice demanded, “Now try again. What are you?” 

“A weapon.” 

“Who do you belong to?” 

They'd gone over that one last time as well. 

“I belong to…” Milo did not want to continue. He belonged to no one, and did not want to belong to anyone. 

He received a shock for his hesitance. 

“I said who do you belong to?” The Voice asked again. 

“I belong to...Emperor Doofenshmirtz.” 

“I'm sorry, I didn't hear that.” The Voice pressed the button on his remote, sending another intense shock through Milos body. This one being the worst of them all. 

Milo grabbed at the collar, but only received another shock. 

“Hands in your lap.” 

Milo did as he was told. 

“To your feet.”

Milo leaped from the seat and stood stiff with his arms glued to his sides and his head down. As he was trained to do.

“Now. What are you?” Asked The Voice, circling the boy.

“I am a danger.” Milo answered shakily. 

“A danger to who?”

“To- everyone.” he got a shock for hesitating. 

“A danger to who?”

“To everyone.” Milo said a bit louder, trying to keep his voice from shaking. 

“That’s right. Now, Do you you like your home?”

“Yes.”

“Does our leader treat you well?”

“...Yes.” 

Another bolt. 

“Does our leader treat you well?!” The Voice asked again, more intensely this time. 

“Yes.”

“He treats you well, for a weapon, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, very well.” 

Milo cringed. He could feel something pushing at the back of his eyes. He tried to make it go away. 

If The Voice caught him with tears there would be consequences. 

Milo accidentally let one slip.

The Voice was on him in a second. 

He grabbed the young boys wrist and lifted his arm above his head, forcing Milo to face him. 

The Voice examined Milo’s face with a scowl, “You are a weapon.” he reminded the young boy, “Weapons do not shed tears!” He threw Milo to the ground. 

“To your feet.” he demanded, giving Milo another shock, “Sit on the chair. We’re starting over. And we’re going to keep starting over until you get it right. Now sit down.” 

Milo did as he was told. 

The must have started over a dozen times before Milo finally reached the last question.

He gave a light sigh of relief when it finally ended, for which he was awarded a shock. 

“Until tomorrow, Murphy.” The Voice said, then summoning The Man from the corner and demanding The Weapon be taken back to it’s cell. 

The Man said nothing. 

He grabbed Milo by the back of his shirt collar and dragged him out the door. 

Again, once out of sight, he took Milo’s hand. 

The young boy was stiff.

His eyes were glued to the floor as we squeezed The Man’s hand. 

Every once in awhile, on their journey to The Doctor, The Man would glance down at the traumatized boy. 

Milo winced, holding back the tears in his eyes. Knowing it was wrong to shed them. 

Halfway through the journey The Man spoke,

“It is-” he started, then gave a small pause, “Okay. to cry.” 

Milo looked up at The Man, shocked to hear his voice, but even more surprised by the words that he said. 

Milo’’s eyes filled with tears, but he was reluctant to let them flow. 

A few slipped down his cheeks and he quickly wiped them away with the ball of his hand. 

He kept his hand on his eye for a moment, trying to keep more from coming out. 

The Man reached down with his cold metal hand and gently took Milo’s hand away, “It is okay- To cry.” he said again.

Milo looked up at him, amazed, and slightly confused. 

Why was he being so kind to him? He was only a weapon, after all, and this half man half machine had no obligation to treat him with kindness. His job was to haul Milo wherever he may need to go, whether it be to The Doctor, or to the extraction chamber, or to training. He was not supposed to be kind, and gentle, or in any way caring. 

But yet-

He was. 

And Milo was thankful for that.

 

\-----------

 

“Let’s get this collar off of you.” said The Doctor, taking the collar off. 

Milo was surprised to say the least.

The Doctor smiled, “Yes, I can do that,” she said, putting the collar aside, “But it’s only temporary. I have to look at your burns.”

Her face twisted with disapproval as she looked over the red ring that was forming around Milo’s neck, “The voltage is too high,” she said, mostly to herself.

“Any other pains?”  
“My back has been hurting.” Milo said quietly.

He was sitting straight up with his hands in his lap, eyes forward. 

“I think you should take a shower today” The Doctor recommended, “I’ll get you a fresh pair of clothes. Your wounds will heal faster if we keep them clean.” She shooed him off to the shower area. 

Milo was supposed to bathe every three days. Rarely did anyone stay true to that, and it was generally a week or two before anyone remembered that was a thing that was supposed to happen. 

Milo didn’t mind horribly. His cell was not overly disgusting, and he did not do much besides sit in it, so the pile up of dirt and grime on his skin was minimal compared to someone who loved outside. 

Though a prisoner he has been given a toilet and a sink in his cell, both of which were often a hassle to find in the dark, but a hassle that was worth it. The Doctor had snuck him proper teeth cleaning surprise and she would act a his dentist on occasion.

After getting clean Milo sat back on the exam table where he could get his bandages replaced

“Have you been practicing your motor control?” asked The Doctor, removing the old bandages.

“A little.”

“I guess that’s better than not at all.” She mumbled, “Why don’t we go over some words today? Would you like that?”

Milo hesitated. 

Weapons didn’t need words, 

“Yes,” he said after a moment, “I would like that.”

After the checkup The Doctor brought out her flash cards. 

“Music,” was the fifth card.

Milo had gotten that one wrong earlier. He could not give an answer.

She turned the card to him, “M-U-S-I-C” she spelled out carefully, “We’ll return to that one.”

She went over a few more before her time was up and Milo had to leave. 

“I’ll see you later,” she assured, before Milo gave her a tight hug,

“I don’t want to go,” he mumbled into her stomach. 

Her office was the only place Milo ever felt safe. Of course he didn’t want to go. He never wanted to go. 

The Doctor silently slipped the collar back around his neck, “I’m sorry,” she said, he voice cracking, “But you have to. I’ll see you later, though, I promise.”

Milo leaned away. 

He was helped down from the table and escorted back to his cell by The Man. 

Milo would glance up at him every once in a. While, half expecting him to say something. 

He remained silent. 

The Man escorted Milo to his corner before taking his leave, “Until tomorrow.” He said quietly, as Milo eased back into his corner. 

Upon leaving the cell The Man dropped something on the floor. 

Once the door closed Milo moved to find whatever it was

It didn't take long to find. 

Milo began inspecting it immediately

It was smooth and round and fit perfectly in his hand. 

Milo turned it about, looking for some indication as to what it was. He eventually found a small divot, which appeared to be concealing a button. 

Milo pressed the button. 

And the light came on. 

He pressed the button again and it began to fade. 

To Milos surprised, however, it did not fade away. Instead the bright white light turned pink. Then it turned green and blue, and continued changing. 

Milo pressed the button again. 

It stopped in purple. 

Again the button was pressed, turning the light off. 

Milo was amazed by tho object. 

So simple, yet so refreshing. 

Light

Color

Things his empty mind strives for. 

Now things it had. 

Milo wrapped his hands around the small thing. It was warm, but not overly so. He brought it to his face and pressed it against his cheek. It was smooth, and soft against his skin. 

A voice suddenly echoed through his head. 

He couldn't not tell what it was saying. 

His name? 

It was something. 

Something so familiar. 

But Milos head hurt too much to think too hard. 

He deemed it his imagination and laid down in his corner for a quick nap. 

 

\--------

 

When The Figure arrived to give Milo an injection Milo hardly fought. He squirmed and struggle slightly from a laid down position, but it was no use.

That he knew. 

“Wow,” The Figure said calmly, “you did so good today, Milo.” 

It put a light hand on Milos arm. 

He twitched at the touch. 

The dark hands were cold. 

He didn't move, 

“I’ll be back,” it assured, standing up. 

Milo felt his mind fade as it walked out, closing the door behind it. 

After the second injection Milo was escorted to extraction by The Man. 

Milo remembered grasping the soft hand, but other than that he could not recall a thing. 

After extraction The Man returned him to his cell. 

As Milo drifted away entirely the voice he heard earlier returned. This time Milo heard it. The three words spoken in a hushed whisper before he fell into a plot of oblivion.

“I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if there are any glaring mistakes.


	10. Chapter 10

It felt as though they’d been crawling for hours. 

In reality it had only been about thirty minutes since they’d climbed into the vent. They had yet to make it all the way to the basement, only because Zach was lagging behind and Melissa had to continually stop and wait for him. 

She wasn’t traveling at the quickest pace either. After Zach’s near death experience, as well as her own (though admittedly she was much farther from death than him) neither was in the mood to keep pace. Not to mention the temperature of the vent, which was much warmer than either had expected. 

They took frequent breaks. 

“We should have brought water.” Zach said, in hindsight, as the two stopped and sat against the walls.

“I think I’ve had enough of water today,” said Melissa. The fact that the both of them were still soaking wet did not help anything. They were sweating like crazy, but their clothes were soaking wet so at the same time they were freezing, “How far until we reach the basement?”

Zach looked at the torn up map. A good chunk of it had fallen away because of the dampness, but the rest of the map had dried pretty rapidly in the high temperatures, “I can’t tell. You’ve been through here before, what do you think?”

“It’ been awhile, strategy boy, and it’s dark,” 

“Okay, well,” he studied the map “I’d say…” Zach pulled out the other map for reference, “Fifty feet at most. But these maps aren’t too clear. What are we going to do once we get in the basement? We’re so close, we should start planning.”

“I don’t plan,”

“I noticed. But I can’t do everything here, you know the building better than I do.”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” said Melissa, beginning down the tunnel again, “Come on. I wanna get to that bridge.”

Zach put the maps away and followed her. 

It took another 20 minutes for them to reach the basement. When they got there the vent was stuck. 

“Got any more of that acid stuff?” asked Melissa, giving up on trying to push it open, Zach gave a light shrug,“None that defies gravity.” 

“Well then help me out here.”

Zach got on his knees and helped Melissa push up on the vent, “Is there a lock?”

“If there was a lock, don’t you think I would be using it?” 

“I don’t know, you seem the type to neglect locks and just use brute force to open doors.”

Melissa scowled, “And you seem like the type that talks too much. Now keep pushing.” 

“You know you can use explosives on this, right?”

Melissa didn’t say anything for a moment.

“You couldn't have told me that ten minutes ago?” she mumbled, getting the explosives off her belt. 

“Wait a second,” Zach cut in before she could set the whole chunk of putty.

“Oh, what now!?”

“This is a vent, anyone in the building will be able to hear a big explosion. Plus we run the risk of frying ourselves. Just set a little bit around the edges. And I mean a little bit. Almost hair thin.”

Melissa sighed, “First we can use explosives, now we can’t, it’s just back and forth with you isn’t is?” she grumbled to herself, “I hope you’re not like this all mission.” That part she said so he could hear. 

Melissa stretched out the putty and lined the edges of the grate. She hooked up the lines and dragged Zach almost fifteen feet back in the vent. 

She let the bombs loose. 

It wasn’t much more than a spark in Melissa’s eyes. The sound echoed through the vent, but not so loud as everyone in the building would notice. 

Melissa quickly crawled ahead and shoved the grate open. She nearly smiled at the success as she climbed into the basement. Zach climbed up after her. 

The space was dark, which was nothing new. Zach came and stood next to Melissa, who was surveying the area, “So,” he started, crossing his arms, “Ready to cross the bridge?”  
Melissa looked at him, “Have you got any bright ideas?”

“Well, now that were inside these maps aren’t going to be of much help. I have devised, though, that it’s likely the person you’re looking for is somewhere in the center of the building.”

“Good to know, still not helping,”

“And that we should really just make it to a computer and look up the information we’re looking for.”

Melissa furrowed her brow in confusion, “A computer, where are we going to find a computer?”

Zach shrugged, “I don’t know, I’m sure there’s a database somewhere. If this kid is so important I doubt there’s not a file on him.”

“Alright, then, where is that and how do we get to it?

Zach was almost taken aback by the question, “You’re kidding right? I can’t do everything, you know! Were in unfamiliar territory now, these maps are of no help. You're more familiar with the building than I am, you tell me.”

Melissa poked him angrily in the chest, “Look, idea boy-”

Zach shoved away her hand, “I know, you brought me here to plan. To help you get this Milo guy out of jail, and to get you both out of the building, I know! You’ve told me,” now he was the one pointing fingers, “You like to think of people as one man armies, well they’re not. I was never meant to go on missions. My job was supposed to be staying in a room full of paper, and maps, and computers and figuring out what other people should do on missions. And yet, here I am. I’m on an unregulated mission, behind our leader’s back, trying to help you. We’re not one man armies, Melissa, as much as you’d like to think so. As much as you act like it, we’re not. You and I are in here together. I don't have all the answers, and neither do you.”

Melissa scowled, but said nothing. 

“Come on,” she said after a moment, “We need to find a computer.”

She walked, fists clenched, towards what she believed was the front of the basement.   
Zach was almost surprised. Had he actually gotten through to the girl?

He was snapped from his thoughts when Melissa called for him to catch up. He hurried to meet her. 

“We should be able to do most of our traveling through halls down here,” Melissa started, as soon as Zach was by her side again, “if I'm remembering correctly most of these security cameras are off line. If we're lucky there will be an old database system down here.” 

“That won't help us,” said Zach, “it's likely the location of Milo has varied throughout the years. An old database may give us information on what they're doing with him, if we’re lucky, but it won't tell us where he is in the building.” 

Melissa twisted her lip, “well, then what do you suggest?” 

Zach thought for a moment, “we should go a couple floors up, then get back into the vents.” 

Melissa frowned at the idea of returning to the vents, “any other ideas?” 

“None that don't run a greater risk of getting caught.”

“Three floors up and to the vents it is then.” 

She wracked her brain for a better idea but found none. 

The two eventually found the hallway. Melissa checked for security cameras before making her way out. She turned off her headlamp as she stepped into the hallway. Zach did the same, stuffing his in his backpack while Melissa fastened hers to her belt. 

The hallway was different than most of Doof's buildings. It had gray floors and white stone walls. No purple or green in sight. A few of the lights were out, but not enough to make it dark. 

Zach wasn't horribly comfortable, but it was better than everywhere else they’d been. 

The basement was like a maze. Every hallway led to somewhere, though, so one of the doors had to lead to stairs right? 

The two certainly hoped so. 

They walked in silence for nearly 20 minutes before Zach started talking.

“So, are you going to tell me more about Milo yet?” He asked, “or maybe something about yourself?” 

Melissa half scoffed, “you already got me to use 'teamwork’ one thing at a time, bucko.” 

“Can I at least know what he looks like? Just in case we get separated.”

“I doubt we will, but fine…” Melissa thought for a moment. The truth was she wasn't sure what he looked like any more. It had been five years, who knows how he could have changed, what Doof has done with him. For all she knew he was a cyborg, brainwashed, and happy to be serving Dr. Doofenshmirtz. 

She decided to remember him as he was, “small. Sort of,” she started, “pale. About thirteen now. Maybe twelve. He has brown hair, brown eyes...that's about it.” 

“I'll keep an eye out for him...Mind telling me about yourself now?”

“I don’t talk about myself.”

“At least tell me your favorite color.”

“No.”

“Oh come on. If i’m going to spend this entire mission with you, I think I’ve earned the right to know at least a little something about you.” 

“You dragged us into a flooded cave through a sewer, you don’t deserve anything but credit for not dying.”

“Well, I’ll tell you something about me.”

“I don’t care.”

“We came here after Doof had already taken over,”

Melissa flinched with surprise, becoming slightly interested,“Why would you do a dumb thing like that?”

Zach shrugged, “My mom’s a doctor. She went where she thought she was needed. We can leave whenever we want. The deal was we come in, Doof let's us out if we want to leave.”

Melissa scoffed, “You really think he’s going to stay honest to that deal?”

“No. That’s why I joined the resistance. My mother doesn’t think so either. She’s too busy to do anything in the resistance, though...At the hospital all day, treating patients. This city has a lot of those.”

“I’m sure…” Melissa half considered telling the boy something about herself. 

This was not the time to get sentimental, though, so she didn’t. 

“Your mother sounds like a good woman...similar to someone else I used to know.” the last part was quiet, mostly to herself.

The conversation came to a halt upon turning the corner and finding stairs in the distance. They quickened their pace. 

At the top of the stairs there was a door that lead into an entire stairway. The two looked up at the endless ring of stairs. 

“Looks like it goes all the way up,” said Zach, partially dreading the journey. 

“Remind me again why we couldn't take the usual rout?” 

“Because it wasn't deep enough and you always got caught.”

“Oh yeah, that.”

Zach pulled out the map of the building as they began to climb. He drew in where they'd been and where they currently were. He figured if they were there he may as well document. It could help them get out after the mission ended as well as give the resistance a better idea of the building layout for future, approved, missions. 

As he drew he could not help but think about his current mission. 

Save Milo Murphy

Or, Can Go Wrong, as he was often called by the resistance leaders. It was Sara who put that code name in place. No one ever talked about the kid above a whisper. It left Zach wondering, what happened to him? He could not tell if the whispers were in animosity or mourning. 

Even Melissa sent him mixed messages. Though it was clear she was determined to risk her life to save this boy, the question still stood. Why? Milo, as a subject was surprisingly uncommon. In his few days Zach had heard rumors that the boy was a cyborg who wrecked havoc on the city. He also heard that he was a slave with extraterrestrial powers who could make buildings crumble, so Doof kept him locked up. 

Both sounded like poppycock to Zach. It still left the question itching at his mind, though. Who Was Milo Murphy? And what could he do that was so miraculous or important that Doofenshmirtz keeps him locked up in headquarters, and not a regular prison like the rest of the captured resistance? Was Milo even resistance? 

Zach was snapped from his thought by Melissa. She snapped her fingers in his blank face, “Hey, idea boy”

Zach shook away his thoughts, “uh...oh. what is it?” 

“We're here. Third floor.” 

Zach looked around. When did that happen?

The aesthetics of the hallways had changed. They were now the usual shade of purple and dull. The hallways looked abandoned, which Zach was not surprised by. From his analysis they were tucked away in a relatively ignored part of the building. Who used stairs any more?

“Do We have to go back in the vent?” Asked Melissa, staring straight ahead. 

“I'd recommend it” 

The red haired girl looked to him, “of we found a date base on this floor, would it be helpful,” 

Zach shrugged, “at this point, I don't know. The most reliable data base would be Doofenshmirtz own computer but,” he scoffed at the impossibility, “that's probably not going to happen.” 

Melissa smirked, “who says?” 

She headed back to the stairwell. Despite knowing she had a bad idea Zach followed. The two looked up at the ever spiraling stairwell, “I’m not doing that.” Zach said after a moment,

Melissa lifted her brow, “you'd rather go through the vent?”

“Vents don't have security cameras.”

Melissa scoffed, “no one will see us, new be, if we do it right.” She whipped out her grappling hook, and put out her hand, “you coming idea boy?” 

Zach took a step closer. She grabbed him around the waist and let the hook loose, “hold on tight,” she instructed, then taking hold of the device with both hands before pressing the button that pulled them up. 

Zach was not fully prepared for the jolt. He slipped a bit as they made their way upwards. The grappling hooks ability to pull two humans in the opposite direction of gravity was quite shocking, to say the least. 

Zach squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to block out how fast they were going or how high up they were. 

“Zach!” He heard someone call his name. The loud noise that had been filling his ears suddenly stopped. 

He opened his eyes and look up at Melissa, who was hanging onto the railing of the stairwell, “you can stop screaming.” She said, looking down at him. 

Zach hadn't even realized he was screaming. He supposed it explained the loud noise. 

He heaved himself up and grabbed onto the railing with Melissa. The two pulled themselves onto the steps and continued walking up. 

“What floor is this?” Asked Zach 

Melissa didn't answer for a moment. she was thinking, “we'll see at the next door.” she finally said. 

The next door they came across read “13” 

“13th floor,” said Melissa, stopping in front of the door, “not high enough,” she looked around. There were no security cameras in sight, “low security,” she said, “must not be a popular place.” 

“Not since elevators were invented,” Zach mumbled, his head hurried in a map, “we’re almost there. I'd suggest we walk the rest of the way...are we really planning on breaking into Doof’s personal computer?” 

“That's the plan.” 

“Well it's a bad plan.” 

Melissa whipped around to look at him. She scowled, “what, plan boy, my plans not good enough for you?” She growled, taking a couple steps closer to him. 

“Well, they're not very well thought out.” 

Melissa threw her hands in the air, “ugh, I knew it!” She cried, “I hoped you wouldn't be like this all mission. First it's one thing, then the other. You want me to plan, strategy boy, so here I am planning. And there you go, tearing it apart. I'm banning your right to complain any more.” 

Zach lifted his brow, slightly confused but also annoyed, “you call that planning?” he asked, “plans take thought, consideration. What you're doing is called winging it.” 

“The plan is to get up to Doof’s office and break into his computer to find the information we need. A plan based on what you are saying we should do.” 

“What I said was we need to find a data base, not complete the impossible. What you have is a concept. You want to do this, but you don't know how. The point of having a plan is to help prevent things from going wrong. If we just rush in there head first we will be caught. That, I have zero doubt about.” 

Melissa pinched the bridge of her nose, “Okay,” he said, trying to keep calm, she was not accustomed to asking for help, but she'd been doing it a lot this mission, “Then what do we do?”

“If we really want to get into his office we’ll need to create some sort of distraction.”

“Okay…” The wheels in Melissa’s head started turning. After a moment she smirked, “I think...I have a plan.” 

“A real plan?” Zach questioned, remembering her last “plan” 

Melissa drew a ball of white putty from her belt, “A real plan”  
\------------------

Zach ran back from the vent after setting the last explosive, “You really think this will work?” he said, closing the vent behind him.   
“It’d better...Once we make it up to his office I’ll activate the explosives.”

“What if he doesn’t leave his office?” Zach questioned

“With a prize as valuable as Milo in this building, I’m sure he’d be more than willing to investigate any disturbance himself.” 

Zach was a bit surprised to hear her refer to Milo in such a way. Despite this, he said nothing. 

After a moment he smiled, “Well, lead the way.”

The two painstakingly made their way through the vent and up to the highest level, Melissa was slightly out of breath from the uncomfortable journey. She looked around the office. Doofenshmirtz was at his desk scrolling lazily through his computer.

A flame of anger suddenly erupted in Melissa’s chest. She suppressed it. She needed to concentrate on the mission. 

Mission first. Revenge later. 

She drew the trigger from her belt and pressed her thumb lightly on the red button. She gave Zach a look, indicating she was ready to proceed. He replied with a stiff nod.   
She pressed the button. 

Nearly ten seconds later the bombs went off in the building. 

The lights went dim, and red emergency lights began flashing. 

Doofenshmirtz flew from his desk. He stomped out the door, leaving the office abandoned. 

Melissa kicked out the vent cover and dropped to the ground. She made her way to the computer and began clicking, not entirely sure what she was looking for, or where to look for it. 

Zach stood by, watching the door and thinking of an escape plan. 

Melissa flipped through file after file, looking for anything that mentioned Milo, or the Murphy’s. Eventually she growled with frustration. She was working as quickly as she could but she wasn’t finding anything! And there were too many files to go through in the short amount of time they had. 

“Uh,” Zach called from the door, “You might want to hurry it up, Melissa,”

“I’m going!” she practically roared, “There are thousands of files here!”

“Then use the file search!”

Melissa paused. “Idiot,” she mumbled to herself, bringing up the file search and looking up “Milo Murphy”

One file popped up. 

But contained within in was document after document highlighting the plan, use, and purpose of “The Murphy’s” as they were often referred to. There were research papers, highlighting the range of experiments done on the two Murphy men, as well as their intended use, and their current state of being. 

Melissa could only skim, but what she saw horrified her. 

“This is worse than I thought,” she practically whispered to herself, pulling out a communication device and a flash drive. 

She stuck the flash drive into the computer and began downloading the massive file. She flipped on her communication device, “Sara, come in,” she summoned. The line came back empty. “Sara Murphy, come in!”

“Melissa!” Zach called from the door, “Someone’s coming, do you have what you need?”

Melissa realized she had yet to find Milo’s location in the building. 

“Melissa!” Zach called again, running to the desk, “We need to go!”

Melissa hardly heard him. She skimmed until she found Milo’s prison file, “Seventeenth floor,” she read quietly to herself.

“Melissa.” Zach said sternly, “We need to go. Do you have what you need?”

Melissa took another second to remember the information before standing up straight, “let's go.” 

The two ran back to the vent. Melissa helped Zach up before grabbing the grate cover and leaping up herself. 

She pulled it shut right as Doof walked back into his office. 

“Did you shut everything down?” Zach whispered. 

Melissa’s eyes widened in realization. 

Zach's opened just as wide. 

The two looked through onto Doof as he sat back at his desk. He was staring at his computer. His expression was unreadable. 

“Someone,” he started after a moment, “is in the building.” his voice was low, but audible. He pressed a button on his desk and demanded that the building be put into lockdown. 

No one gets in. 

No one gets out. 

“We need to go,” Zach breathed. 

The two took off through the vent. 

“Where are we going?” Asked Zach as they ran about the air vent. It was a combination of quick crawling and partial running because the vent was wide enough. 

“Back to the stairway.” Melissa called from in front, “we need to get to level seventeen. That's where Milo is.” she pulled out her communication device again and proceeded to report to Sara. 

“What part of 17?” 

Melissa took a moment to answer, pausing her distress call.

“All of it.” 

 

\-------------

 

Bridget sat in her chair. 

She often sat, blank faced, looking out the window to the backyard where her old work shed was falling to pieces. She stared between it and the tree still resting dead in her backyard. 

She did not move. 

Her breaths were shallow

She sat there for hours. 

She hardly noticed when Sara gave her a kiss goodbye before heading off to “school” 

She didn’t notice when Sara returned, and then left again. 

She did not notice when the clouds grew darker as the sun behind them began to set.

She did not notice when Sara returned and rested a Doof approved meal on the table behind her.

“You should eat,” said the Swamp City resistance leader, “It’s been three days.”

Bridget said nothing 

Sara let out a small sigh. She came and knelt beside her mother, putting a hand on hers. Sara did not say anything. This was her mother’s usual behavior. 

She was sure her two boys were dead. She was sure of that when she saw the lightning strike Doofenshmirtz headquarters. She was sure of that when they never came back. 

After Martin was taken away,

Then Milo…

She could not get them back

And she never forgave herself for that. 

Sara let out a small sigh and headed up to her room where she plopped down on her bed exhausted. 

White noise sprang from the communication device on her belt. Sara furrowed her brow. 

'no one should be contacting me,’ she thought. 

A light voice came through the static, “Melissa to Sara, come in…” more static, “requesting..b- up. I repeat, requesting backup. We are in Doof….Milo Murphy. Milo Murphy is alive! And...Martin, but he’s-” the feed cutout. 

Sara waited for more but nothing ever came, “Melissa!”she called back, smacking the side of the device, “oh, I knew it! I should have never let her go! I'm such an idiot!” she flew off of her bed. She was about to run out the door but was faced with an obstacle. 

Her mother stood in the doorway, wide eyed, and gray faced. 

“They’re alive,” she practically whispered. 

Sara nodded, “and Melissa is in trouble.”

After a moment Bridget's brow hardened. Her lips bent into a determined scowl. She took a deep breath, and in a calm, shaking voice, said, 

“Let's go get ‘em” 

 

\-----------------

 

Melissa leaped from the grate into the stairwell. Without a word she rushed off down the stairs, “come on!” She called behind her. 

Zach tried his hardest to keep pace without falling down the stairs. The lights in the stairwell had dimmed and red emergency lights were flashing on every floor. 

Melissa slid to a stop in front of the door to level seventeen. She looked to Zach, “ready?” She asked 

“Ready as I'll ever be.” 

Melissa took the handle of the door, 

“Let's go get 'em”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soon our two worlds will be colliding.


	11. Chapter 11

Milo's routine was the same. 

 

He went through the motions. 

 

The Man came to get him. He escorted Milo to training, then back to his cell. 

 

Milo hugged his knees and squashed the stuffed dog between his legs and chest. 

 

He waited three hours, anticipating The Figure to come give him his injections. 

 

It never came. 

 

Milo was served a meal

 

Still, The Figure had not arrived. 

 

Milos muscles ached as his body shook. He felt cold, but sweat ran from his brow. 

 

He could not stand to hug his knees any longer. 

 

He rubbed his aching head before deciding to take a nap before extraction, “what is this?” He thought as he laid his body down. 

 

This was a strange experience. He felt awake, but at the same time...lost? The sensation was odd and unpleasant. 

 

Milo hugged himself in an attempt to stop the shivering. 

 

He forced himself to sleep to stop the pain. 

 

\------------

 

Milo awoke to a loud boom

 

A red light flashed in the top right corner of his cell. 

 

He squinted, trying to clear his tired vision. 

 

He hadn't even realized there was a light there. 

 

Milo sat up with a struggle. He rubbed his heavy eyes. 

 

He felt hypnotized by the ruby flash. He was unsure how much time had passed since he work up. 

 

Suddenly the door flew open. 

 

Milo hadn't even heard the locks unhitch. 

 

It was The Man

 

“You are being relocated.” He said stiffly. 

 

He took Milo by the hand and dragged him from the cell. Milo was still grasping his stuffed dog. He held onto it as they rushed out of the room that withheld his cell. He held tightly as they rushed through five thick doors that all closed behind them. 

 

“Where are we going?” Milo asked in a small door. 

 

The Man looked back at him, “A separate location.” 

 

“...a new cell?” 

 

The man did not answer for a moment. 

 

“Yes.” He finally said. 

 

Milo felt something push at the back of his eyes, “I don't want to go back to a cell.” 

 

“...I know.” 

 

They suddenly stopped. 

 

The Man turned to Milo and knelt before the small boy. He put his hands on Milos shoulders, “I want you to run.” He said, “as fast as you can. Back to your cell. The doors will open for you.” 

 

Milo was confused. His eyes were wide, trying to comprehend what he was just told to do. 

 

“Run Milo.” The Man whispered, “run to them.” 

 

The Man transformed his hand into a mace. He struck the control panel of the doors, closing the one between him and Milo. 

 

Milo was frozen. Where was he supposed to go!

 

Alarms roared.

 

They hurt Milos head

 

He couldn't concentrate. 

 

He was overwhelmed. 

 

“Milo!” Someone called his name. 

 

He looked to the door opposite the one that'd just closed. He spotted The Doctor. She held out her hand. 

 

“Come on Milo,” she urged, “we don't have much time.” 

 

Milo looked back at the other door. 

 

Was The Man still there? 

 

What was going to happen to him? 

 

“Milo!” The Doctor called again, “take my hand.” 

 

Milo stared at her for a moment. 

 

Then he took her hand. 

 

The Doctor began running. 

 

Milo could hardly keep up. The Doctor was practically dragging him to... wherever they were going. 

 

“Where are we going?” 

 

“Back to your cell, that's where they expect to find you.” 

 

Milo was surprised. 

 

The last place he wanted to go was back to his cell. 

 

But he trusted The Doctor

 

So he followed her lead. 

 

Soon he was back in his cell. 

 

The Doctor left his door open and left him alone.

 

Milo stood in the doorway. 

 

Alarms still roared throughout the building. 

 

But I was silent in his cell

 

So he went in. 

 

He watched the door, waiting for someone to arrive. 

 

He heard many voices 

 

But Milo was alone. 

 

\-------------

 

Melissa took down another Norm-bot.

 

They were so close! So close to the goal, but that goal was getting farther and farther as more norm-bots flooded the hallways. 

 

Zach held on the best he could, but he only had so much training and there were more robots than Zach was anticipating. 

 

He now knew what Melissa meant when she asked what he would do if he was thrown into an army of norm bots with no back up and nothing but a staff. 

 

Now he had a chain whip and Melissa. 

 

She took out most of them, but Zach tried her hardest to keep off as many as he could 

 

“Melissa!” He called to the red haired girl, “we need to get out of here! We're not going to make it!” 

 

“No!” She roared back, “We have to make it!” She looked through the norm bots to the last door they had to get through. “we’re almost there!” 

 

“Melissa, if we don't leave now we’ll be captured! Then we’ll never get there!” 

 

Suddenly a norm-bot took hold of Zach's shoulders. 

 

“Melissa!” he screamed, as the Norm-bot carried him away.

 

Melissa had just gotten through her last obstacle. The door was clear, now was her chance!

 

But Zach was calling her name. 

 

She looked between The door and her partner.

 

\----------------

 

Milo’s cell door closed.

 

\---------------- 

 

“Melissa!” 

 

An image flashed in Melissa's mind. 

 

A voice. 

 

They weren't going to take another away

 

Not again. 

 

Melissa leaped into action. She ran after the Norm-bot. She leaped over the army of robots to reach him, and hardly broke a sweat. 

 

It wasn't going to get away. 

 

Not again. 

 

Melissa slapped the mechanical beast in the head with her staff. 

 

It dropped Zach, but was joined, quickly, by backup. 

 

Seconds later the pair was overtaken. 

 

Melissa suffered a blow to the head. 

 

She was knocked out instantly. 

 

\------------------

 

The locks fell into place

 

\------------------

 

Zach fell to his knees beside her unconscious body, “Melissa!” He yelled trying to shake her awake. 

 

The Norm bots surrounded them. 

 

Zach looked around. 

 

There was no where to go

 

\-------------------

 

“No one is coming for you.” 

 

\-------------------

 

Zach was tazed in the back. He fell over Melissa, but did not fall unconscious. 

 

The Norm bots dragged them away. 

 

\--------------------

 

Milo was alone again

 

\---------------------

 

\----------------------------------------------------------

 

\----------------------------------------------------------

 

\---------------------

 

Melissa threw a ball against the cell wall. 

 

Zach sat silently next to her. His mind was blank. 

 

He'd run out of ideas. 

 

It had been a few hours since they'd been brought in. Neither had said anything. Melissa didn't need to ask what happened when she woke up. She could guess well enough. 

 

Zach hung his head, propping his elbows up on his knees. He felt as though he had something to say, but he couldn't put his finger on it. 

 

“Thank you,” 

 

He said. 

 

The voice surprised Melissa into missing the ball, “for what?” She said, 

 

“For-” he took in a deep breath then let it out, “coming back,” 

 

Melissa wasn't sure how to reply. She picked up the ball and started playing with it again, “never leave a soldier behind,” she said, throwing it against the wall, “warrior's code.” 

 

“I know I just...I saw you debating. Go forward, or go back. And-” he took in another deep breath, this time holding it until he spoke, “you chose to go back. And get me, so- thanks.” 

 

Melissa did not look at him, “I'm not going to lose another man.” She said, not completely addressing him. 

 

Zach leaned over in an attempt to see her face. She glanced at him, “is there a problem?” She asked, putting on something of a scowl. 

 

Zach leaned back, “uh, no,” he tapped his knees, “I just, wanted to see something.” 

 

Melissa's scowl subsided, “you're trying to read me,” she stated, “I can understand that. You've been trying to get to the bottom of me since the beginning of this mission.” 

 

“I can tell he means a lot to you,” 

 

Melissa caught the ball but didn't throw it again. She let her arm hang loose, propped up on her knee. The other leg went flat as she began to speak, “more than you could ever know…” she took a long pause, “he was my first assignment,” she began, “and my only friend.” 

 

Melissa put the ball on the ground and crossed her legs, “when Doofenshmirtz took over we were babies. Knowing Doof would want to use Milo for something evil she hid him away, handed him over to the resistance and came to be a leader herself,”   
“So he was resistance” Zach said partially to himself, answering his question from earlier. 

 

“Yup. And everyone loved him” 

 

\------------------------  
Five Years Earlier   
\------------------------

 

“Milo, dear, can you get mommy's spear from the armory?” Bridget smiled at her seven year old as he sat beside her leg playing with Melissa. 

 

He was something of a shy child, but content, and happy to have Melissa. 

 

He clung to his mother's coat as he played a card game with Melissa in the database sector of The Resistance. 

 

It wasn't everyday he got to see his mother. She had to keep up appearances on the surface so she wasn't able to make it down to see him as often as she would have liked to. 

 

Milo looked up at her, “which one?” He asked. 

 

Bridget smiled, “you pick your favorite,” 

 

Milo smiled, “okay mamma!” He called, leaping up and heading to the armory, “I’ll be right back Melissa!” he called as he ran off, 

 

“Just get back quick so I can beat you already!” Melissa yelled as he left. 

 

“Sure thing!” 

 

Milo took much longer than expected to return with his mother's weapon of choice. By the time he returned he was out of breath, “sorry mama,” he said, presenting a particularly long, deep pink staff with little wires hanging where the blade met the staff, “I got lost in the tunnels, then there was a small cave in, and a bunch of the weapons fell over while I was trying to get that one for you, so I was stuck there for a while.”

 

Bridget smiled down at him, “that's okay, Milo, I don't mind. Can't say the same for Melissa, though.” 

 

Milo looked back at the red haired girl who was slouched over and scowling, arms crossed and brow furrowed, “took you long enough,” she said as he sat back down, “ready to lose?” 

 

“Ready as ever” Milo Said happily. 

 

In the background of their card game Bridget was giving orders and assigning missions. She was the leader of the Swamp city resistance, and one of the overall leaders of the resistance everywhere. 

 

She didn't often go on missions, feeling uncomfortable leaving Milo completely alone without a high ranking office to look after him. She had enough capable recruits that they didn’t need her. 

 

Today called for it, though, as she received a report from another sector in need of leadership. Their former leader had been captured and turned into a cyborg. They were preparing a huge mission that could turn the tide of the war. An agent on the inside had recently come across some information. Doof was making plans for an attack. He was going for the entire resistance. Bridget could not just sit by and let one of the weaker branches of the resistance fall to pieces. They were first on the list to be invaded. It was Bridget’s duty to rally troops and help them. 

 

She looked down at her son, still grasping rightly to her jacket. She wore a face of concern.

 

Milo let out a big yawn. Noticing his mother looking at him he looked up at her, “hi mama” he greeted, “whatcha doin’?”

 

Bridget could not help but put on a light smile at the sight of his big brown eyes. He was so innocent, unaware of just how important he was. To the resistance but also to his mother. 

 

He was the light of her life. After Martin was taken away Bridget put all of her effort into keeping Milo safe. She wasn't going to lose anyone else. Not Milo, not Sara, she would go to the ends of the earth to keep them safe.

 

This mission, though, it was dangerous. Bridget knew she would lose soldiers. She was aware that she could get captured, or lose her life. She had to make sure Milo understood that. And that there was someone there to protect him when she could not. 

 

“Just staring,” Bridget said, “what are you two playing?”

 

“We’re playing War,” said Milo, glancing back at the cards, “Melissa keeps beating me. It's fun!” 

 

“I'm glad,” Bridget's smile filtered for a moment, “Milo, would you mind taking a break for a couple minutes? I want to talk to you for a moment.” 

 

“Oh- sure” he looked to Melissa, “I’ll be back Melissa, no cheating.” 

 

“Melissa crossed her arms, “you insult me Milo Murphy, I don't need to cheat to win. Especially against you.” 

 

Milo giggled as his mother took him by the hand, “you're right,” he said, before taking off.

 

Melissa was not the most patient child. After only five minutes she leaped up and ran after them. She followed them down the dim hallway cut out of the stone and found them a little ways down where no one else was in sight. 

 

She hid behind a pillar and watched as Bridget wiped away Milo’s tears. 

 

The mother was kneeling to his level,

 

“But why do you have to go?” Milo cried, wiping tears away with the back of his hand, “please don't leave, mamma, please.” 

 

“I have to, honey. But I need you to know that I will try, I will do everything in my power, to come back to you. Until then Melissa and Sara will be here to look after you.” 

 

Milo threw his arms around his mother, “please don't go,” he begged squeezing her as tight as he could, “I don't want you to go!” 

 

Bridget squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hold back her tears as she wrapped her arms around Milo, “I have to,” she said, her voice cracking, “I love you so much, Milo.”   
The mother squeezed her son, transferring to him all of the love she could. 

 

Milo was warm in his mother's arms. He rested his cheek against hers. It was soft, and warm,

 

“I love you,” she whispered. 

 

\-----------------

 

“That was the last time, wasn't it?” Asked Zach as Melissa took a pause.

 

“She put him down for a nap. He woke up and she was gone.” 

 

\-----------------

 

Melissa followed the two as Bridget carried Milo to his room. He had sobbed himself into fatigue so Bridget thought it best he take a nap. 

 

Melissa sat by the door as Bridget laid Milo down. 

 

“Are you leaving tonight?” Milo asked, taking hold of her coat. 

 

Bridget didn’t answer the question. Instead she took a book from the shelf, “Why don’t we read a story?” she proposed, removing her jacket and laying it over the chair in the corner. It was fairly late already, almost nine at night. For a seven year old that was late. Milo always stayed up, though, as long as his mother was there Milo would be awake

 

“Shouldn't we tell Melissa where I am?” Milo asked, rubbing a tired eye. Bridget took out her walkie talkie, “Sara, tell Melissa Milo went to bed, over,” 

 

“Will do,” Sara agreed.

 

“There,” said Bridget, smiling down at Milo, “Now get your pajamas on, and we’ll start reading.” 

 

Milo did as he was told. He changed into a black shirt and gray shorts before leaping back into the bed where his mother had already taken her seat. She sat upright against the bed frame, legs crossed on the bed. She kept her black combat boots on, as they were a pain to put back on. 

 

Milo snuggled up to his mother. He hugged her around the waist as she put her arm over him and began reading. 

 

“Dorothy lived in the midst of the great Kansas prairies…”

 

She read through several chapters, waiting for Milo to fall asleep. She had to adjust her position several times to stay comfortable. 

 

Milo never let go of her. He grasped her shirt tightly, and by the time he was asleep the two were laying all the way down. Milo rested his head on his mother’s chest. He listened to her heart beat as he fell asleep.

 

She was warm. 

 

Bridget closed her eyes. She was not asleep, but she was getting there. 

 

Milo’s grasp did not dwindle with sleep. 

 

Bridget listened to his breathing. It was shallow, and calm. 

 

She felt something press against the back of her eyes. 

 

The last thing she wanted to do was leave him. 

 

She wanted him to have a better life someday. A life where he could go outside, play outside with Melissa. She wanted to give him a life in the sun, surrounded by color. She wanted her little boy to have a dog, and go for walks on warm summer days. She wanted him to breath fresh air. She wanted him to run around a grassy backyard in bare feet, and throw snowballs on cold winter days. She wanted him to live. 

 

After a couple of hours someone entered the room. Her steps were silent as she entered. She put a hand on her mother’s arm, “They asked me to come get you,” she whispered. 

 

Bridget give a stiff nod. 

 

She gently pried Milo’s hands off of her shirt and stood up, careful not to disturb him. She pulled the blanket over him, and gave him a kiss on the head, “I love you,” she whispered, “I’ll be home soon.” 

 

She grabbed her coat from the chair and slipped it on as she left the room. 

 

Upon exiting she spotted Melissa, still sitting in the hall. Bridget stopped. She knelt down to the little girl, “Look out for him, okay?” she said with a smile. 

 

Melissa saluted, “Yes ma’am,” 

 

Bridget continued to smile, “That a girl.” 

 

Melissa spotted a tear as it slipped from her leader’s eye. 

 

Bridget stood, and took her leave. 

 

Melissa would not see her again for more than a week. 

 

Melissa leaped up and entered Milo’s room. She sat in the chair in the corner, watching him. 

 

Melissa was not only Milo’s friend, he was her assignment. 

 

Knowing little Milo would become lonely Melissa was assigned to be his friend. She knew this fully well, but that didn’t change the nature of her friendship. She saw Milo as more than an assignment. He was kind, and smart, and optimistic. He wasn’t meant to live in the cruel world that forced him underground. Melissa was determined to become the best soldier the resistance ever had. She was going to protect Milo. No matter what. 

 

Melissa decided to guard from the hallway. That way she could guard from intruders before they even enter the room. Melissa stayed awake well into the night, and on until morning. Her eyes drooped with an eight year olds fatigue, but she forced herself to stay awake. 

 

In the early morning she heard the sobbing. 

 

She kept a stoic face. 

 

Milo was much more emotional than her. She let him be. 

 

She decided to enter the room when the crying calmed. 

 

She didn’t have to say anything, 

 

“What if she doesn’t come back?” asked Milo, his voice hiccuping as he messily wiped his tears away. 

 

“She’ll come back,” Melissa assured, climbing up on the bed, “She told you she would, didn’t she?”

 

Milo sniffled. He gave a slight nod, letting his hands sit in his lap. 

 

“Then what are you worried about? She’s never let you down before has she?”

 

Milo shook his head, “No,” he said, “She hasn’t.”

 

“And she won’t this time. She’ll be back, you’ll see. She’ll be back in no time.” Melissa crawled off the bed, “She’s just trying to make it nice up there, so you can go up there someday.”

 

Milo fiddled with his fingers as he stared up at the ceiling, “I have always wondered what it was like,” he mumbled, mostly to himself, “But- can’t somebody else do it?”

 

“Not as good as Ms. Murphy. If she wasn’t the one it would never get done. Now come on, we need to go eat breakfast, I’m starving! Race you to the kitchen!” with that melissa ran out the door. 

 

“Melissa!” he called, “I’m still in my pajamas!” 

 

“Then come on, slow poke!” Melissa called, peeking her head back in the room, “Get dressed.”

 

Milo nearly fell from his bed as he tried to slide off of it. He closed the door on Melissa.

 

She waited impatiently in the hallway as Milo got dressed. When he finally emerged Melissa proposed a race, but he wasn’t up to it.

 

“Party pooper,” Melissa said, walking next to him. 

 

He stayed silent until they reached the “Kitchen” where Sara was heating something up for him to eat, “Hi Sara,” he greeted.   
“Good morning, little brother.” Sara smiled. She poured whatever it was she was cooking into a bowl and served it to her brother as he sat down, “I’ve got some stuff to do while mom’s gone, so I’m in charge.” she gave her brother a kiss on the forehead, “Don’t get into too much trouble. I should be back in an hour.” 

 

Sara addressed Melissa as he passed, “Don’t forget we have training today. Don’t be late,” she warned. 

 

Melissa took a seat at the table as Sara left. 

 

Milo wasn’t eating his food. He pushed it around with his spoon and stared at it, eyes drooping. Melissa leaped off her stool and grabbed a utensil before going to sit back down. She pulled the bowl of food into the middle and took a scoop. 

 

“Mmm,” she hummed, “Grits. Come on Milo, eat up.”

 

Milo put his spoon down, “You can have it,” he said, getting down from his seat, “I’m going back to bed.”

 

Melissa twisted her lip in disatisfaction. She leaped out of he seat, “Oh no you don’t!” she called, stepping in front of him, “You and I are going to go play, and you are going to quit moping.”

 

“I don’t really feel like playing,” Milo tried to walk past the girl, but she would not let him though. 

 

“Milo, how are you ever going to get anywhere with that kind of attitude? Where’s my optimistic best buddy? I miss him.”

 

“He’s not home right now.”

 

Melissa grabbed Milo’s hand, “Well then, I’m gonna take him home.”

 

\--------------

 

“He got better as the day went on. I’d even say he was happy by the end of it.” Said Melissa, going back in her mind to that night, “It wasn’t until later that it happened,” 

 

\-------------- 

 

Nobody was sure how it got in. 

 

Maybe a secret entrance not entirely sealed, or a lose hatch had been discovered. Maybe they’d been sensing the underground, and found a tunnel system and decided to investigate. 

 

In any case it was a bad sign, 

 

“Get it out of here,” Sara demanded. A few recruits dragged the broken norm-bot away to add it to the scrap pile. Sara approached Milo and Melissa, both still slightly frightened by the experience, “We need to move,” she said, “We need to get Milo further underground. If there’s one bot, there’s bound to be more.” 

 

Sara took her brother’s hand and lead him deeper into the caves. She left him and Melissa in something of a bunker before going back up to check the perimeter and give orders, “I’ll be back to check on you within the hour. Don’t. Go. Anywhere.” with that she took off back up the tunnels. 

 

The bunker was small. It had some food rations and a few beds. It connected to a whole different underground system that was currently under construction, being constructed in case of emergency. The only completed area was where Melissa and Milo were placed. 

 

Milo sat quietly on one of the beds. Melissa sat on the bed across from him, “Perk up,” she said, “We can continue playing down here.”

 

“Oh no, I know,” said Milo, his voice slightly sullen. He turned his eyes away from his fiddling fingers and looked to the ceiling, “Melissa? What happens if they catch me?”

 

Melissa was slightly surprised by the question, “Now, hey, no one’s going to be taking you,” she hopped off her bed and leaped onto Milo’s, “Don’t talk like that. We’re all here to protect you, remember? No one’s getting through Sara, and even if they do there’s no way they’re going to get through me.” 

 

Milo could not shake the subject from his mind, “I’m just wondering,” he started, ‘Where would I go? Everyone says this Doofen- uh, Whatever his name is. Everyone says he wants me, but, for what?”

 

“Nothing important!” Melissa called sternly, “Wherever it is, you don’t want to be there. There’s no use wondering!”

 

Milo lowered his head, “I’m sorry Melissa,” he apologized, “We can keep playing our game if you want.”

 

Melissa smiled, “Great!” he climbed off the bed, “Now where were we?”

 

Milo joined her on the floor, “Uh, I think we were in the middle of a battle,”

 

The two kids hopped around the room pretending to blast each other with magical powers. Melissa resorted to throwing Pillows, and eventually tied a blanket around her neck, which she called her cloak of invincibility. 

 

The two ended up tiring themselves out and falling asleep on one of the beds, sharing the cloak of invincibility as a blanket. 

 

Sara made her way down later than expected. She smiled at the sight of her little brother and his best friend. She made her way back up to the surface and left a few people to stand watch. Someone had to be in the Murphy house, otherwise the Norm-bots would come to investigate.She was reluctant to leave her little brother with such minimal security, but if anything went wrong, or a norm-bot was spotted, she’d be down there in an instant. 

 

\----

 

Later into the night Melissa found herself waking up. She heard something coming from the hallway and up above. It was a series of soft humming noises. Her heart felt heavy in her chest. Someone was in the facility. 

 

Someone who wasn’t welcome. 

 

She stayed still, and silent, not wanting to alert anyone to their presence. 

 

A red light peaked into the room, and turned it’s attention to the bed where Melissa and Milo were sleeping. It didn’t seem to notice them. 

 

Melissa knew that if she stayed quiet it would stay that way. She prayed that Milo stay asleep, and no one try to contact them. Melissa’s walkie talkie was sitting beside the bed. It wasn’t off. 

 

Melissa kept a calm face as the Norm-bot entered the room. 

 

It hovered with a light hum, barely audible. 

 

It’s red light hovered over every bed. 

 

Melissa knew they had to move. 

 

She put a hand over Milo’s mouth and shook him awake. He woke up with a jolt, panicking slightly when she found a hand over his mouth. Melissa made sure he saw her face before he started freaking out. She gestured the Norm-bot with her head. 

 

Milo’s eyes went wide. 

 

He looked to Melissa. She nodded towards the door. 

 

Silently, as carefully as they could, the two climbed from the bed. They crawled across the floor to the hallway when the bots back was turned, and, as soon as they were in the clear, took off running. Before leaving Melissa had grabbed her walkie talkie. She called desperately to Sara as they ran down the hall. 

 

“I’m on my way!” Sara called from the walkie talkie, fully aware of the situation already. 

 

“Where are we going?” asked Milo, a few paces behind Melissa

 

“We need to find a safe place,” Melissa called back to him, 

 

“I thought this was the safe place!”

 

The two gasped as they spotted a horde of Norm-bots making their way down the hall. 

 

Melissa took Milo’s hand and took off running in the opposite direction until they hit a passageway covered in caution tape. She quickly dove through the caution tape, bringing Milo with her. 

 

The cavern was dark, but that didn’t matter, for now it was safe. The norm-bots passed right by. 

 

The two kids sat on their knees for a moment, trying to catch their breath.

 

“That was close,” Milo huffed. 

 

“Yeah, too close,: said Melissa, then standing up, “We need to get to the surface. Come on,” 

 

The two carefully made their way through the incomplete cavern. They twisted and turned, making their way up and around until they saw a light, “That must be the main hall,” she said, pointing it out, “We should get to the armory. We’ll have a better chance there. The main area is probably flooded with bots,” 

 

The two carefully made their way to the hallway. Seeing they were in the clear they took off running until they hit the armory. Melissa grabbed her staff and handed one to Milo, despite his lack of training. 

 

“Maybe a long distance weapon would be better,” he said.

 

“We don’t have any,” said Melissa, continuing to search through the armory, “I think you’ll do best with that,”

 

As soon as the words left her mouth the door burst open and a horde of norm-bots came flooding in, 

 

Melissa took a fighting stance. 

 

She wasn’t going to let any of these mechanical beasts touch Milo, 

 

“Come and get it metal butt!” she yelled, before making her way into the horde and fighting off as many as she could. 

 

Milo never swung his weapon, knowing he’d have a better chance if he just ran away.

 

Having gotten herself caught in the horde Melissa, already getting tired, looked around to find Milo hardly getting away from the bots. She slipped away from her attackers and went to pursue those attacking Milo. 

 

She then found herself being chased. 

 

She lead onto the back of the one on Milo’s tail and practically ripped his head off. She leaped off the fallen robot and began running with Milo. He was beginning to fall behind so she grabbed his hand, “Come on!” she yelled, running as fast as he little legs would take her. 

 

She felt Milo lag, “Come on Milo!” she called again, her young voice cracking slightly, “You have to keep up!”

 

A norm-bot took hold of Milo’s wrist, stopping Melissa short as she was pulled back with Milo. 

 

“No!” she yelled, keeping her feet planted on the ground and keeping a tight hold on Milo’s wrist, “You’re not taking him!” she let out a scream of surprise as she was grabbed around the waist by another bot. 

 

Milo struggled against the norm-bot. 

 

“Melissa!” he yelled, reaching for her, 

 

“Milo!” she screamed back, kicking against the norm-bot, 

 

“Melissa!” Milo screamed, “Melissa!!” his voice broke with terror. 

 

Milo could hear his screams as he was rushed out of the hallway, 

 

“I’ll find you!!” she roared into the hallway, “I will bring you back Milo!!! I promise!!” she screamed as loud as she could, continuing to struggle against the norm-bots grip.   
She could still hear Milo’s screams, “I’LL FIND YOU!” she roared as loud as she could, before screaming for the norm-bot to let her go. 

 

Once all of the others were gone the bot finally let her go. 

 

She dropped to the floor and it rushed off. Melissa immediately climbed to her feet and ran after the robots. 

 

It was a useless effort. 

 

They were already long gone. 

 

Melissa fell to her knees upon entering the main cavern, “I’m sorry,” she whispered, before breaking out into thick tears. She fell forward onto her hands, “I’m sorry!” she sobbed, placing her forehead on the dirt. “I’m sorry.” 

 

She clenched her first, and slammed them into the dirt, “I’m going to find you Milo Murphy!” she screamed into the emptiness, “I WILL GET YOU BACK!” she took in a shaky breath and let it out with a roar “ I PROMISE!!” 

 

She stared straight forward, “If it’s the last thing I do,”

 

\------------------------  
\------------------------

 

Melissa fell silent. 

 

Neither said anything for a moment. 

 

“That’s it isn’t it?” asked Zach, “You think it’s your fault.”

Melissa simply nodded. 

 

“Melissa...You were eight years old-”

 

“I could have done better.” Melissa interrupted him, “I was sloppy. I was the only one down there with him, I should have been keeping watch, not falling asleep...we all felt a little guilty that day.” that last part was a practically a whisper. 

 

“...So, what about Milo’s mom?”

 

Melissa let out a light sigh, “After she heard the news she came back from the mission...I watched a woman lose her mind.” Melissa turned her head away, “I don’t know what happened really, after she stopped screaming and came out of Milo’s room,” Melissa squeezed her eyes shut, “I-” she hesitated, “I couldn’t face her. She broke that day. She immediately scheduled a mission to invade Doof’s tower and get him back...it didn’t work out too well.”

 

Zach leaned over to look at her, “What happened.”

 

“I’m not quite sure. Lets just say, she left with two arms, and came back with one...I think it was an explosion. The details are fuzzy. All I know is that after that she stepped down from leadership. Now she just sits and stares out her window, or stays in bed all day.”

 

“So this isn’t just about you.”

 

Melissa lowered her head, “I have to get him back,” she said, some emotion slipping into her tone, “For her.” 

 

Zach leaned back, “We’d better start figuring a way to get out then,”

 

Melissa’s head whipped around. She looked at him, eyes wide, “We?” she questioned. 

 

Zach smirked, “Yeah,” he answered, then looking to her, “Who else?”

 

“You mean after everything we’ve been through, all the times I’ve insulted you or run in head first, or made a stupid decision...You still want to help me.”

 

Zach shrugged, “We’re partners,” he nudged her with his elbow, “It’s what we do.” 

 

Before either could say anything more a loud boom came from behind the door. Smoke filled part of the room as the door fell off it’s hinges. 

 

Melissa and Zach stood up, 

 

Someone stepped through the door, coughing and waving away smoke, ‘I told you it was too much,” a woman stepped in. She wore a long black cloak with black combat boots. 

 

She put he hands on her hips and surveyed the room. 

 

Melissa’s eyes widened, “Mrs. Murphy?” she practically whispered. 

 

Zach looked between the two, “that’s Mrs. Murphy?” From what Melissa had described about Milo he wasn’t expecting someone so...intense. 

 

“In the flesh,” said the former resistance leader. She looked down at the two, hard browed, “Now where’s Milo. Where is my son?”  
Melissa stepped forward, “How did you get in? Wh-where even are we?”

 

Zach stepped forward, “We’re still in Doof’s headquarters.” he explained. 

 

“Doof’s headquarters!?” she looked back at Bridget, “How did you get in.”

 

“Something big is going on,” she said, looking back to the door, “All of the norm-bots are being diverted to another dimension. We’re seizing the opportunity while he’s distracted.” 

 

Melissa put her hand out, “How long have I been out?”

 

“An entire day,” said Zach, putting a hand on her shoulder. 

 

“A day?” she thought for a moment, “I hope Milo’s okay. If they knew we were there for him…” she didn’t want to think about it. 

 

Bridget began walking out of the cell, “And that’s why we’re going to get him. Now lead the way. We haven’t got all day.”

 

Zach looked to Melissa as they exited, “Now I know where you get it from,” he said. 

 

Melissa smirked, but elbowed him in the ribs. 

 

“Up front!” Bridget called from ahead of them.

 

Zach and melissa scurried ahead of her. 

 

They met Sara at the entrance to the cells. She greeted them with a frown, “Don’t think this’ll get you off the hook,” she said, pointing between them, “I’ll deal with you later.”

 

With that the four took off running. 

 

They were going to save Milo

 

Even if it was the last thing they did. 

 

\---------------

 

\--------------------------------  
\-------------------------------- 

 

\--------------- 

 

After the door closed Milo was alone in his cell once again. 

 

He had no idea what had just happened. 

 

The Figure rushed in, and, before Milo could even think to fight, it injected him with something that made him fall asleep. 

 

The effects were almost instant. 

 

\----

 

Milo dreamed of the little red haired girl. 

 

She was running. 

 

Her hand was around his wrist

 

Before he knew it she’d stopped

 

She was screaming!

 

Milo reached for her, but he was pulled away by an invisible force. 

 

Someone else was screaming. 

 

Who was screaming?

 

Then the scene went dark.

 

\-----

 

A face lit up the darkness. 

 

It was...familiar, yet. Milo could not tell who she was. 

 

She smiled, and Milo felt a warmth bleed through his body 

 

His heart felt heavy in his chest. 

 

The woman laughed

 

It was the purest thing Milo had ever heard 

 

Milo knew nothing of this woman, but he loved her. 

 

He never wanted her to leave his side now that he has found her. 

 

“I love you,” she whispered.

 

Her voice was soft, and gentle. 

 

She wrapped her arms around the boy

 

He was warm in her embrace. 

 

Their cheeks touched.

 

Hers was warm, soft, and smooth.

 

\-----------------

 

Milo gasped as he awoke.

 

He sat up quickly. 

 

He was he sweating, why was he sweating?

 

Milo thought back to the woman in his dream. She was so real. She felt so real. 

 

...She was real

 

Milo nearly flew to his feet. 

 

Memories came rushing back. 

 

They came in flashes, quicker than Milo could tell. 

 

The red haired girl, the woman, her voice. The Resistance. 

 

He was in The Resistance! 

 

There was a resistance, and-

 

The locks on the door creaked. 

 

Milo looked to it, 

 

“The Man,” he whispered. 

 

The Voice entered. 

 

He grabbed Milo by the wrist and dragged him to the training room. 

 

Milo was too overwhelmed by his newly found mind to fight too hard. He was thrown into the training room. 

 

“On your feet, Murphy.” The Voice demanded 

 

Milo climbed slowly to his feet. He received a shock for the pace, but he didn’t speed up.

 

There was someone out there.

 

Someone out there who cared about him. 

 

Someone who loved him. 

 

The Voice gave him another shock, “Get up Murphy,” The Voice demanded, grabbing Milo by the arm. 

 

Milo forced himself away, leaving The Voice shocked for a moment. 

 

He then scowled, and gave Milo a shock. 

 

Milo winced. 

 

“You just never learn, do you?” asked The Voice, giving Milo another shock. 

 

Milo nearly fell to his knees. 

 

“On your knees, Murphy.” The Voice demanded, taking a few steps towards him. He gave Milo another shock until he fell to his knees. 

 

“Now. What are you?” 

 

Milo did not answer. 

 

He began to climb to his feet. 

 

“Stay down,” The Voice demanded, giving Milo another shock.  
The boy fell to his knees again. 

 

But again he began to stand. 

 

The Voice growled, “I said, stay down!” 

 

Again Milo received a shock. This time on the highest voltage. 

 

Milo cried out. 

 

But he would not fall, “I…” he took in shallow, heavy breaths, “Am not a weapon,” he huffed, looking at The Voice with intense eyes.

 

The Voice scoffed, “that little break in gave you hope, didn’t it.” his voice was low and sinister. He approached the boy who was struggling to stay on his feet. With a push on the shoulder The Voice sent him back to his knees. He began circling Milo, “You are nothing but a weapon, Murphy. And people don’t care about weapons. They don’t save weapons. They steal them, so they can use them. Whoever it was that came for you wanted to use.”

 

The Voice spread his arms out, “You’ve got a great life here, Murphy.” he lowered them, “There’s no one out there who care about you, Murphy. Remember that.”

 

Milo squeezed his eyes shut, “You’re wrong,” he argued. His voice was small and weak, but it was there, so he used it, “There are people out there-”

 

“People out there who what!?” The Voice questioned, “People out there who nothing. You’re a weapon Murphy, and that’s all you’ll ever be.”

 

Milo received another intense shock. 

 

“No!” he argued, trying to stand up. He managed to get to his feet, receiving several shocks in the process, “I don’t have to listen to you,” Milo said, his voice shaking as he took a few steps towards The Voice. 

 

He pressed the button on his remote, but it wasn’t working. He clicked it several times before slapping it on his hand, “Why isn’t this working!” he said, getting angry. 

 

Milo continued to walk towards him, “I am more than a weapon,” he said, his voice cracking with disuse, “And There are people out there who care about me! Which is more than I can say for you. They will come for me,” Milo backed The Voice up, nearly to the wall, “Which is more than I can say for you!” Milo snatched the remote out of The Voice’s hand, “Elliot!” 

 

Elliot stood stunned for a moment before his expression changed to anger.   
Milo smashed the small remote to the ground, breaking it to pieces. 

 

Elliot suddenly grabbed Milo by the arm. He squeezed probably as tightly as he could, “You are going back to your cell,” he said through gritted teeth, “Until you learn to behave!”

 

Elliot dragged Milo back to his cell and threw him in.

 

With that Milo was alone again. 

 

He spent the rest of the day thinking. He put in his headphones and thought to the beat of the music. 

 

To the beat of a heart. 

 

He put a hand on his own as memories flooded back to his mind.

 

They were few, but enough. 

 

He did not notice when he was served his meal, and he did not notice when he fell asleep. 

 

Milo opened his eyes to The Figure shrouded in darkness. 

 

How long had he been asleep? 

 

“I’m sorry.” It said. 

 

“For what?” asked Milo

 

“For all of this,” it said, “But don’t worry.” it began walking towards him, “soon you will feel better” 

 

It began walking towards Milo. 

 

Milo stood, “No,” Milo practically whispered. 

 

“Just stay calm,” The Figure requested, putting it’s hand out. 

 

“No!” Milo yelled as It got closer, “Why!?” he screamed, “Why do you do this to me!? I want to remember!” he grasped his head, and squeezed his eyes shut, falling against the wall “Just let me remember!” 

 

The Figure knelt down to Milo as he slid to the flood, “Someday you will,” she said, resting a light hand on his knee. 

 

Milo opened his eyes. 

 

The Doctor looked at him with sad eyes. 

 

“Why?” Milo whispered.

 

“Because...there are some things that are better left forgotten.”

 

She was not looking at Milo. 

 

Before either could say anything a voice rang out from the door. 

 

“Mom!?”

 

Bridget stepped into the cell, passing Zach, “What’s she doing with my son.”

 

Dr. Underwood stood, “Mrs. Murphy, I assume.”

 

“Dr. Underwood?” Bridget questioned, lifting her brow. 

 

Dr. Underwood put out her hands, “You may take me away,” 

 

Bridget looked to Sara. 

 

Sara rushed over with hand-cuffs and quickly cuffed the doctor, taking her away.

 

“Mom?” Zach questioned as she passed, “This is what you do?” his voice cracked as his words came out airy with disbelief. 

 

“No, Zach.”

 

Sara let her stop so she could talk to her son, “I did my best for him. I protected him. I’ll tell you all everything in the interrogation room.” with that they continued walking.

 

“Mom?” Zach’s voice broke as he watched his mother get hauled away. 

 

He looked back into the cell. 

 

Bridget carefully lead her son out of the cell. 

 

She was careful not to scare him. 

 

She wanted to scoop him up into a big hug and never let go.   
But she knew that she could not

 

After all he had been through. 

 

Zach rested his eyes upon the legendary Milo Murphy. 

 

Sara put her hands to her face as tears pushed at the back of her eyes

 

Melissa turned her head away 

 

Milo took the hand that rested on his mother’s away. He approached the red haired girl turning her head away.

 

She glanced at him, but quickly averted her eyes again. 

 

Milo reached up. He slipped his hands over her cheeks and gently turned her head to look at her. 

 

Her face was coated with tears, “Milo,” she tried to say, but her voice betrayed her. 

 

Milo let out a small breath, “I knew you were real,” he whispered. 

 

A second later Melissa took Milo into a hug, “I’m sorry,” she apologized into his shoulder. 

 

Milo was taken by surprise. 

 

After a moment the shock subsided and he wrapped his arms around her. 

 

Bridget came and put a hand on the kids, “We should go,” she proposed, “We don’t know how long this will last, and I don’t want to be around when the norm-bots come back.”

 

They all made their way quickly out of the building. 

 

Zach and Melissa each took one of Milo’s hands, helping him to keep up as well as leading him through the building. 

 

Milo looked to Zach, the only person who had not ever shown up in his flashes of memory, or any dream. 

 

“Hi,” Milo greeted as they ran, “I’m Milo.”

 

“Zach,” Zach replied. 

 

“Nice to meet you Zach.” 

 

Milo set his gaze straight ahead, 

 

“I think it will be nice to meet everyone again.” 

 

And for the first time in who knows how long, 

 

Milo felt free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me of any glaring mistakes.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter just flowed right out, It was done in probably an hour, maybe less.

The War was over. 

 

The Resistance had won

 

And Milo was free. 

 

Bridget thought it best that he be returned to the resistance headquarters first. It was all he knew before he was captured, so it made sense to return him to a place he once considered home, before taking him to his real home. What was supposed to be his home. 

 

They all walked through the streets. 

 

Norm-bots were fallen, and being taken for scrap. Clouds were beginning to move out. People were painting buildings, and taking down walls. The people were rioting, cheering in the streets, celebrating the end of the dictatorship and the return to normal life.

 

It felt good being able to walk out of the front doors of Doofenshmirtz building. Everyone felt free as they emerged. 

 

The feel of fresh air tingled on Milo’s skin. It was so bright, despite the clouds. Though it was ugly, it was fresh, and freeing. 

 

Milo looked around

 

There were so many people

 

So many buildings, and colors, sounds, and feelings. 

 

It was too much for Milo

 

He looked around anxiously 

 

This world was so big

 

Too big 

 

Milo took in heavy breaths. His heart felt heavy in his chest. It dragged him down. 

 

Zach caught Milo as he fainted. He carefully laid him down, “What should we do?” he asked, looking to Melissa and the others. 

 

“I’ll take him,” said Bridget, stepping in front of Melissa. Zach helped the mother get Milo onto her back, carrying him in a piggyback style.   
The four walked about the city. They decided it best to walk home and watch as revolution unfolded. 

 

People ran about the street celebrating, crying out in freedom. They threw paint all over the buildings and ran about with spray cans and thickly coated paint brushes making a mess of things. 

 

It was beautiful. 

 

People destroyed the Doof approved signs above their businesses. 

 

“Isn’t it beautiful, Milo?” Bridget whispered, looking around at all of the color being spread around the city, “This is your world now.”

 

\-----------

 

Milo awoke with a start.

 

A hand rested lightly on his arm, “It’s okay,” said a soft voice, “Your safe.”

 

Milo found himself in an unfamiliar place, but it was colorful, and new, so he...enjoyed it?

 

He could not tell. New things were not a common thing in his cell. 

 

He looked to the person who had his hand on his arm. He recognized him, “Zach.” he said stiffly, recalling the conversation they’d had upon leaving the tower. 

 

“Yeah,” Zach confirmed, “You fainted at the tower, so they carried you here.”

 

Milo looked around, “Where is here?”

 

“Right, my mo- Uh…” Zach seemed to be struggling. He winced, “Uh, prisoner EU-17...she said you might have a lot of memory problems. This was your room. Or, is your room.” 

 

“Where is the red haired girl?”

 

“Melissa?”

 

Milo stared off into the distance, “Is that her name?”

 

“Yeah,” Zach stood up, “You remember her?”

 

Milo put a hand to his head, “No- well, yes,” Milo lowered his hand, “I don’t know.”

 

“You seemed to, back at the tower.”

 

“I recognized her...she was in my dreams...But I can’t say I remember her.” 

 

Milo’s voice was small. It cracked with disuse. 

 

“Would you like some water?” asked Zach, making his way to the dresser. 

 

“Water?” Milo questioned. It took him a moment to comprehend what Zach had just asked him. 

 

“Yeah, water,” Zach confirmed, picking up an already filled glass. He made his way back over to the bed, “You’re sounding sort of hoarse, does your throat hurt?”

 

Milo put a hand to his neck. He jumped. 

 

His collar was gone. 

 

He looked to Zach for answers, 

 

“We took that thing off of you,” Zach scowled at the thought of it as he sat back down, “You’ll never be seeing it again, I assure you. I’m pretty sure your family burned it in their backyard.”

 

Milo didn’t know how to reply. He rubbed his raw neck. 

 

Zach held out the glass still in his hand, “Do you want some water?” he asked again.   
Milo just looked at him for a moment, “uh,” he stuttered, “Sure.”

 

Milo took the glass into his shaking hands. It slipped from his tender fingers and spilled onto the floor. 

 

Milo let out a small gasp, drawing in on himself, “I’m sorry,” he apologized quickly with a shaky breath. 

 

“No, it’s fine,” Zach assured, keeping his voice light and picking up the glass, “It’s not even broken, see?” he held up the cup, “you didn’t do anything wrong.” 

 

After a few moments Milo eased, “Sorry,” he apologized again, 

 

“You don’t have to apologize for anything,” 

 

“Oh, I’m sorry..I mean, uh- I’m…” Milo just stopped. 

 

Zach put the cup back on the dresser, “I’m going to get some towels to clean this up,” he said, “They asked me to make sure you stay in here for now, but if you want to go into the hallway or anything,” he shrugged, “I don’t see why you can’t. We just don’t want you wandering around in this state. I’ll be right back.”

 

Zach left for the towel, leaving Milo alone. 

 

Milo looked around the room. 

 

It was plain. But it was also soft and inviting. It was warm, and familiar, but still, he did not recognize it. 

 

He ran his hand across the soft blanket below him. 

 

It was odd, the feeling of a bed. It was soft, and comfortable, and probably one of the most pleasant experiences Milo could recall. It definitely beat the cold stone floor.

 

He then suddenly remembered. 

 

His cell

 

There were things he’d left behind.

 

He stood from the bed and, on shaky knees, made his way over to the door. He fell at it’s frame, feeling weak. 

 

Zach, who saw him from down the hallway, ran to his assistance, “Don’t try to move too quick,” he advised, “You suffered some muscle damage from the repeated shocks.” Zach helped Milo back to the bed. 

 

Milo climbed back on without assistance as Zach got to work cleaning up the water from earlier. 

 

Milo surveyed the room. 

 

To his right there was a small dresser and a bookshelf of the same height, as well as the chair Zach had brought in to sit on. To his left was a rocking chair somewhat close to the bed. The room itself was blue, and, unlike the rest of the cave, made to actually look like a room, not a cave. 

 

It was square with drywall, and rugged floors, and color. 

 

Milo sat cross legged, gripping his ankles. 

 

“What is it like up there?” he asked, looking up at the ceiling. 

 

Zach looked at him, trying to comprehend what he’d just asked, “Where? Do you mean outside?”

 

Milo nodded, continuing to stare at the ceiling. 

 

Zach looked to the ceiling with him

 

“Well, once you get better, we can go up there. In a few days.” Zach stood up, “But before that you have to get better. Back on your feet. You also have a decision to make, when you’re ready.”

 

“What decision?” 

 

“You get to decide the fate of prisoner EU-17,” Zach tried his hardest to keep a level tone as he said the words. He struggled, but made it.

 

“Who is that?”

 

“Uh...Your doctor, when you were in the cell.”

 

“Oh…” Milo trailed off. 

 

He hadn’t thought of her

 

“Why is she called EU-17?”

 

Zach’s body tensed, “That’s her...prisoner number.” to took a glance at Milo. His eyes landed on the track marks riddling the boy’s arms. Zach squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away, “it’s her initials and her number,” he spit out quickly, “It’s what we’re supposed to call her.”

 

Zach’s body loosened. 

 

Milo looked at him for a moment, 

 

“Why did she do this to me?” he asked quietly 

 

Zach jolted with surprise. His head spun sharply to look at the inquiring boy. Milo had his hands on the marks on his arms. He traced them lightly with his finger. Zach ignored the marks and instead concentrated on Milo’s hands. 

 

“Here,” he said, grabbing something from his bag, “Let me wrap those for you,”   
Zach stepped towards Milo with his hand outstretched. Milo flinched away from the touch. Zach stood down for a moment, well aware of what fear looked like. 

 

He lowered his hand and got onto his knees beside the bed, “It’s okay,” he said calmly, putting his hand out once again, “I just want to wrap your hands.”

 

Milo looked down at them. He hadn’t noticed how rough they looked. They were gray, and bruised. His fingertips were raw, dry, and splitting open. His wrists were suffering from crude burn marks to, approximately, the second degree. They laid over other burn scars that pulled at the skin and left discoloration and permanent redness. The burns on his wrists were recent, and were in need of wrapping. 

 

Milo lightly clenched his fists. The skin was stiff and the joints were sore. His muscles were reluctant to give him fists. 

 

After examining his hands Milo turned them over to Zach. 

 

Zach took one in a light grasp, being sure not to irritate anything. 

 

Milo could not feel much. His nerves and muscles were so shot. But he jumped at how cold Zach’s hands were as they lightly grasped where the wrist met the palm. 

 

“Sorry,” Zach apologized, “I’ve got my mom’s hands,” his light smile disappeared at the mention of his mother. Zach carefully began wrapping the wounds. He first applied some goop to help with the pain, and with healing, before wrapping Milo’s wrists and making his way up and around the thumb. He also wrapped up Milo’s fingertips, tearing the gauze into thinner pieces to get the job done. 

 

He repeated the actions on the opposite hand. 

 

Milo watched carefully as he was wrapped up. There had only ever been one other person who treated him with such care, “You mom,” he started, “Where is she now?”

 

Zach looked to him, “She’s” he paused, looking back to his work, “She’s being held in the interrogation room right now. They don’t have a cell for her.”

 

“Are they going to put her in a cell?”

 

Zach stiffened again. He stopped wrapping, “Probably,” Zach’s voice shook. He turned to look at Milo again, “But that’s up to you.”

 

Milo was taken aback, “Me?”

 

Zach continued wrapping, “Yeah...Bridget thought it best that, since you’re the most familiar with her, and what she’s done, you should be the one to decide.”

 

Milo was confused, “Why?”

 

Zach shrugged, “They can’t decide whether or not what she did was wrong or right. So it’s up to you...she says she saved your life…”

 

“How do you know that?”

 

Zach broke off the gauze as he finished, “Because I’m the one who interrogated her.”

 

\----------------  
\----------------

 

Zach looked at his mother through the two way glass. 

 

She was sitting there, hands grasped together on the table. She was calm. Steady breathing, eyes forward. Her brow was straight, not furrowed with worry. Her back was stiff with impeccable posture. She was level headed. Cool. She knew the answer to every question they interrogator could ask her. She was ready. She was prepared to justify her actions, as well as be condemned for them. She knew what she had done, and she knew better than anyone at that point why she’d done what she had. 

 

Zach noted her posture, her features, and her mannerisms when she moved, which was not often. 

 

His brow was hard, concentrating, trying to figure what could be going through her mind. He didn’t like this. He trusted his mother, and was convinced that whatever it was she may have done it was for a good reason. It had to be. 

 

It had to be. 

 

“Zach,” a voice called from behind him. 

 

Zach turned sharply, finding Bridget Murphy behind him, “Ma’am,” he acknowledged, giving a solute. 

 

“Can I talk to you for a moment?” 

 

Bridget lead the boy to the doorway, away from the two way mirror.

 

“I’m assigning you to the interrogation,” she said.   
Zach was jolted, “What?” he questioned immediately, “Ma’am I-”

 

“Look at her,” Bridget turned her head to the window before looking back to Zach, “We need to prompt an emotional response. You are the most likely to do it.”

 

Zach didn’t know what to say for a while, “With all do respect, ma’am,” he started, “I don’t feel comfortable doing this. That’s my mother in there, she probably wouldn’t even take me seriously.”

 

“I would go in there myself, and take her on mother to mother, but it would be more effective for her to see her own son, and know what she’s done to another mother’s.”

 

“That seems cruel ma’am,”

 

“And what she did to Milo isn’t?”

 

“I guess we’ll see.” 

 

Bridget gave a stiff nod, seeing this as agreement, “Good, I’ll get the file for you to look over.”

 

\----

 

Zach entered the room. 

 

He was nervous, shaking even, but he didn’t let her see.

 

He noticed his mother's stance falter slightly upon his entering. 

 

She quickly recovered. 

 

Zach sat down. He placed a file on the table and opened it up. 

 

“So,” Zach started, “You were Milos doctor, is that right?”

 

“That’s right.” Dr. Underwood confirmed. 

 

“How long were you his physician?”

 

“I’ve been his doctor for three years.”

 

Zach lowered the file, “How did you get the job?” he asked, raising a brow. 

 

“It was part our deal. I take care of Milo, I get to keep my job at the hospital. I took it, not only to keep my job, but to save Milo. He was in bad shape by the time I got to him.” 

 

“I can’t imagine him being in worse shape than he is,” Zach practically growled, “He’s fifteen pounds underweight, and his nerves system and muscles have experienced extensive damage. He’s lucky he’s not paralyzed. Not to mention the damage done to his brain by the drugs you gave him.”

 

The doctor nearly scowled, “What are you looking for, a confession? For what, mel-practice? I did to that boy what I thought was right. When I got to him he was almost forty pounds underweight, skin and bone. He was delusional, and in chronic pain. I gave him food, treatment for his wounds, and the injections I gave him were to keep him relaxed because of the frequent panic attacks. I know he hated what he did. I know he didn’t want the injections-”

 

“And you knew they’d destroy his mind over excessive use, didn’t you? Opioids weren’t the only thing you were giving him.”

 

Dr. Underwood’s physic darkened. She knew that was a practice not many would agree with, “I did what I thought was right,” she practically whispered. 

 

“And giving a ten year old powerful depressants you thought was right? You knew the possible side effects and implications of long term use and you ignored them. We could put you away for life. Even worse, you seem to be his advocate yet you did nothing to help return him to the resistance. Why?”

 

“And risk his life, mine, and yours in the process?” Dr. Underwood shot, “Don’t think I didn’t consider it. I didn’t know where the resistance was, where was I going to put him? My house would be the first place Doof looked, and I couldn’t risk that. For all our sakes. Your resistance, they think a man on the inside gets everything done, well she doesn’t. And you can tell them that. If I took Milo and they found out, he wouldn’t have a Doctor, and there is zero doubt in my mind that he would be dead.”

 

Zach said nothing for a moment. He referred back to the file, “Your excuse for that is fair,” he looked back to his mother, “There’s still the matter of the drugs you used.”

 

“I started him on small doses,”

 

“It was against his will,”

 

“It was better for him,”

 

“Would you have done it to me?”

 

The room fell silent. 

 

“That’s irrel-”

 

“Would you have done it to me?” Zach shot again

 

Silence. 

 

“If it was better to forget,” Eileen answered quietly, not looking at her son

 

“Is it better to forget?” 

 

“It certainly can be,”

 

“Maybe. But that wasn’t for you to decide.”

 

“Milo is a minor-”

 

“And you are not his mother.” 

Eileen stiffened. 

 

Again they sat in silence 

 

Her posture suddenly fell. Her entire demeanour fell apart. She put a hand to her head, trying to think. 

 

“I did everything I could,” she said, her voice cracking. She slammed a fist in the table, “I know not everyone would agree with me! But I tried. I tried to heal him after I broke him. Zach…” she clenched her fists, “please don't think different of me,” she practically whispered. 

 

She could not get herself to gaze upon her son, 

 

“I don’t know what your resistance is looking for. Do they want a confession? For what? My crimes are right in front of you.” she looked up but averted her gaze from Zach, “I admit to everything I’ve done. I can be accused of crimes if your resistance sees it fit, they can put me in a cell for the rest of my life.” she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment before they snapped open, finally looking Zach in the eye, “And I’m sorry for my misgivings, but I won’t apologize, because I cannot fully justify every action I took, but I know in the end they were right. I would have done the same for you-” she confessed, turning her gaze away again “I would have done the same.”

 

Zach closed the file. 

 

His hands were shaking more than when he came in. 

 

He clenched his fists to ease the shaking, but it didn’t help. 

 

He let out a breath, trying to keep calm

 

He hated this

 

He hated this!

 

His mother didn’t belong there

 

What she’d done-

 

Was it right or wrong?

 

Right or wrong. 

 

He understood her thoughts. 

 

Let the young boy suffer in pain and panic everyday, or keep him calm and sacrifice his memories. Which was better to keep sanity?

 

It was not for Zach to decide

 

Zach stood from the table, “We’re done for now,” he said quietly, trying to keep his voice from shaking. He rushed to the door, trying to make his hurry look normal. 

 

There were three doors between the interrogation room and the observation room. 

 

He went through two of the doors before he had to stop

 

The second door slammed behind him

 

He fell against it

 

His knees buckled beneath him and he slid to the floor. 

 

He let out a heavy, shaky breath, trying his hardest to keep the pressure at the back of his eyes from making its way through. He could not speak. He could hardly think. He brought up his knees and buried his head in them. 

 

He felt something drip onto his knees. He quickly lifted his head and noticed the tears that coated his cheeks. He wiped them away and stood up. 

 

He made his way into the observation room where Mrs. Murphy had been watching. 

 

He quickly wiped his face again, making sure there was no evidence of tears. 

 

“Ma’am,” he began, walking towards his leader, “She doesn’t deny anything. She admits to giving Milo the drugs but she has given proper justification...it’s up to you to decide what to do with her.”

 

Bridget said nothing for a moment. 

 

She stared at Eileen Underwood, stone faced. 

 

“No,” Mrs. Murphy said after a moment, then looking to her new recruit, “It’s up to Milo.”

 

Zach was taken slightly aback, “Pardon, ma’am?”

 

“This situation is too gray,” Bridget elaborated, taking the file from her agent, “I can’t fully tell whether or not what she did was right or wrong. So I’m leaving it up to Milo. He was the closest to the situation, he was directly affected by what she did. He should be the one to choose what happens to her.”

 

“Are you sure that’s wise ma’am?”

 

Bridget began to walk out of the room, “He knows better than anyone whether or not what she did is deserving of punishment or not.” 

 

With that Zach was left alone. 

 

He looked back at his mother behind the glass. 

 

She looked defeated. Her shoulders sagged. Her eyes were dark as her hand rested on her head. 

 

Zach’s brow furrowed with sorrow. 

 

“Zach,” a voice called for him from the door. 

 

He looked to see Melissa standing in the doorway, “Can you go wait with Milo?” she asked, “I don’t know when he’ll wake up but Sara and I have something we need to get done.”

 

Zach noticed the collar in one of Melissa’s hands, and the matches in the other. 

 

“Uh,” he said quietly, “Sure.” 

 

Melissa smiled, “Thanks. Tell him I’ll be back soon.”

 

“Will do. Have fun burning the collar.”

 

“I will!” Melissa called, already partly down the hall. 

 

Zach stood for a moment. 

 

He walked towards the door, taking one last glance at his mother before leaving entirely. 

 

\------------------  
\------------------ 

 

“I’m sorry you had to do that,” said Milo as Zach patted down the gauze and clipped them in place. 

 

“It’s fine,” Zach said quietly, “Your mother got the reaction she wanted.”

 

“But it wasn’t right.”

 

Zach was surprised by the reply, “What do you mean?” he asked

 

“She dangled her own son in front of her. She wanted to show the doctor that he was there and he thought less of her. That’s where the emotional response came from. Your mother is suffering. She was suffering that entire interview. Why would she do that to someone, why would my mother do that to someone?” Milo spoke quickly, his voice quiet. The thoughts rushed through his head so fast he could barely comprehend them. He comprehended that, though. He could see it clear as the light in his cell.

 

“Whatever it takes to get results,” Zach said, standing up and putting the gauze and stuff away.

 

“She’s suffered from the loss of a son,” Milo said. Though he could not fully remember his mother he knew that she was and he knew that she once had him, “Why would she take a son away from his mother?”

 

“She’s not gone yet,” Zach said quickly, “That’s for you to decide.” he sat back down in his chair “Please,” he started quietly, “Please don’t consider me in your decision. But consider,” he had to pause “Consider forgiving her. If you can’t I understand, but- she’s...she’s a good person.”

 

After a couple seconds of looking at his new colleague Milo rested a hand on Zach’s. 

 

Zach looked at him upon the touch. 

 

Milo stared at him with big brown eyes, innocent and lost. He didn’t say anything, he just left his hand there. After a few seconds he grasped Zach’s hand in a loose grip. 

 

Zach took hold of the boy’s fingers, figuring it was what he wanted.

 

“I like your cold hands,” said Milo, “I can feel them...I can’t feel anything anymore.” 

 

“...Do you want me to keep holding?” asked Zach, feeling a bit odd. 

 

“If you don’t mind.”

 

Zach had to think for a moment. Did he mind? A little, but not enough,

 

“I don’t mind,” he said, “hold on as long as you want. But they’ll get warm eventually.” 

 

“Hopefully not for a while.”

 

“We can get you things if you want. Things to feel. Ice packs, fuzzy things, rough things, soft things. They’ll probably use them in your therapy too.”

 

“Therapy?” 

 

“Well, yeah, you don’t have full use or control of your muscles. Plus your nerves are damaged. I’ve been told it’s reversible.”

 

Milo said nothing to this. Instead he laid down, “Am I allowed to go to sleep?” he asked.

 

“Of course,” Zach answered immediately, “You rest as much as you need.”

 

“Will you be here when I wake up?”

 

Zach was almost surprised by the question, “I will be,” he said, quietly, “I’m not going anywhere, don’t worry.”

 

“That’s good…” Milo trailed off as he fell back asleep. 

 

His mind raced but he managed to calm it. 

 

Already he had a friend,   
Already he had a room

 

A family 

 

A home

 

And a big decision to make. 

 

He wanted to make the right decision

 

But what was the right decision?

 

Milo determined,

 

There was no right answer,

 

But could he still make the wrong decision? 

 

He loved The Doctor 

 

But he hated The Figure 

 

Milo had to decide, 

 

Which one was she?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm curious what you all think of her actions.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter concentrating on Melissa. I was going to have it be longer but it was so good onits own by the break I decided to leave it as is. 
> 
> This is probably my favorite chapter.

Milo spent most of his days taking naps. He hadn’t had a comfortable rest in so long, he wanted nothing more, upon his return to the real world, than to stay on the soft bed and continue sleeping until he was forced to wake up. Bridget and Melissa only ever seemed to visit when he was asleep, and neither was keen on disturbing him. 

Melissa often sat by his bed, waiting for him to wake up. She stared down at Zach’s hands, often interwoven with Milo’s. 

“Why does he do that?” she asked, never taking her eyes off the hands. 

Zach shrugged “he likes how cold they are,” he answered, keeping his voice slightly low, “I just let him hold them and play with them, until you guys get him something else,”

“I didn’t even know he needed anything like that.”

Melissa looked back at Milo. He looked so calm, and peaceful. She hardly ever got to see him. She’d been doing so much work with the resistance to rebuild what doof had destroyed she had been taken off of “Milo duty” and put on patrol squads, and rescue teams. They were still liberating people, building the city, and sending aid to those who needed it. Melissa was skilled and trained, she was an experienced resistance member, which is why she was taken away from Milo and put on different missions. 

Zach was assigned as Milos caregiver 

He was the logical choice. He was the newest member, unfamiliar with regulations and the territory. He’d been in the city three years already but had only joined the resistance a few days before the mission to retrieve Milo. 

Bridget assigned him as caregiver. 

She would do it herself but Milo was uneasy around her. He did not remember her, he only heard of what she’d done as so was wary of her. 

It broke Bridgets heart, 

But she knew she had to be patient with her son

He’d been through more than she could imagine. 

So she handed care over to Zach. 

He was often downstairs anyways, having no one on the surface to return to. He was Milos age, and intelligent, quick witted, and skilled enough to protect them both, should the need arise. He was a strategist, so at this point he was useless everywhere else. 

Not to mention, Milo liked him. He enjoyed the presence of Zach more than, even, the red haired girl who’d haunted his dreams for so long. 

Milo could not tell why he liked Zach so much. Maybe it was because he saw him so often, or because he was the first face Milo saw upon waking up. Milo felt uneasy around his own mother and hadn’t had much time with the red haired girl, or the yellow haired girl, who claimed to be his sister. 

He believed her he just hadn’t seen her. 

Milo was back and yet the family was still being torn apart.

Melissa waited almost two hours for him to wake up before being called away on mission. Sara peaked her head in, “Melissa,” was all she needed to say. 

Melissa took one last glance at Milo before joining Sara in the hallway. The two walked mostly in silence until Melissa couldn’t hold it in any longer, “What’s going on here?” she snapped, “we get Milo out, Doof is overthrown, but we’re still hiding underground and keeping him locked up. All he does is sleep all day, he’ll barely interact with his own mother, and you haven’t visited him once!”

Sara knew the explosion was coming, “He needs time,” she started cooly, “He needs to get his strength back, and more memories before we can just throw him back into the world. And we’re not caging him, he can get up and walk around the facility with Zach if he wants, he just hasn’t wanted to.”

“When are we actually going to start treating him? We say he has all of these muscle, nerve and memory issues but there’s nothing being done about it!”

“We only have so many resources, Melissa, he’s not the only one who’s hurt.”

“But why is he not your obligation? Why does it seem that he’s not Bridget’s!? He’s Zach’s responsibility, and Zach doesn’t even know him!”

“Calm down soldier-”

“No!” Melissa ripped off her bandana, “The war is over, Sara.” she stared down at the black head piece for a moment before clenching it in her fist, “I’m not your soldier anymore.” her angry tone lowered into something of a sorrowful one, “I’m a kid,” she said, then wiping off her sunglasses. She stared at the objects in her hands for a moment. She’d worn them for so long. They were a symbol of her service, what she’d strived for, what she’d become. She looked to Sara, eyes pleading, “But I never got to be one...I thought, once the war ended, I could go above ground. I could ride a bike and run around with Milo going on all sorts of misadventures. That’s what I wanted at the end.”

“People still need our help,”

“But why do they need my help. You people...You people are adults, this is what you’re supposed to be doing.”

“You can’t just abandon your responsibilities-”

“Why not!?” Melissa threw away her glasses and bandana, “I’ve been a member of the resistance since I was four years old. This was my life, it still is my life! And I’m done!” Melissa paused. Thick tears slid down her cheeks. She’d tried her hardest not to let them through, “Aren’t you done too?” she asked, her voice now soft.

Sara just looked at her, mouth agape with no words able to escape. 

“Melissa,” Another voice said from behind her. 

Melissa turned. 

 

She found Milo, half leaning on Zach, walking towards them. 

“Milo,” Melissa practically breathed. 

“Why are you yelling?” he asked, releasing Zach and taking his own steps forward. 

Melissa didn’t know what to say, 

“Why are you yelling?” he asked again, now only a foot away from her, “In my dreams...you were always yelling...do you do it a lot?”

Melissa shook her head, trying to gain her composure, “Uh,” she stuttered, “No..no-no I don’t do a lot of yelling.”

“Oh...are you okay?”

Melissa was taken aback by the question. Her friend, underweight and in chronic pain, asking if she was okay. 

“I’m fine,” she answered, still recovering from the shock. 

“Oh good. I’m glad you’re okay.” Milo granted her just the tiniest smile, “Where are you going?” he asked. 

“Just-” Melissa glanced back at Sara, “On a mission.” 

“That’s nice. Zach tells me a lot about your missions.” he looked around, “The Resistance...it’s nice that they try to help people.”

Melissa gave a slow nod. 

Again Milo graced her with a tiny smile, “Well, I’ll see you when you get back.”

Zach came up behind him and became Milo’s support once again, “I thought we should take a walk around,” Zach explained, “Try to stimulate his muscles. Good luck on your mission.” 

As the two walked on Sara approached Melissa, “That’s why you’re still here,” she said, watching her brother make his way down the hallway, “Someday he’s going to return to the surface, and when he gets there…” she looked to Melissa, “It’ll be as beautiful as we can make it.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> just Zach and Milo against the world.

“Recognize anything?” Asked Zach as they walk about the underground facility. 

Milo looked around, carefully scanning every inch of the room. It was familiar. But like everything else he didn't exactly remember it. Some things were more familiar than others though. 

He stepped away from Zach. His knees trembled but they kept him upright. He stumbled slightly, causing Zach to jump to assistance,

“I’m fine,” Milo insisted, stepping away again. He wandered about the room until his muscles became sore and he took a seat on the floor. 

Zach stood beside him

Both were silent. 

“Can I go up there yet?” Asked Milo, looking to the ceiling, “it’s...stuffy down here” he turned his head forward. Though not as stuffy as his old cell the old dirty cave was not a sever improvement. He would have preferred his room to the cave, but his room was small like the cell he once occupied, so he wasn't horribly fond of that either. 

Milo was never sure of freedom. He could not recall what it felt like yet now it felt so close he longed for it. It was just out of reach, hovering right up above him. 

But they wouldn't let him go. 

Milo played with the dirt on the ground. He let the dusty stuff run over his hands, trying his hardest to feel something. The dirt slipped through his fingers mostly unnoticed. It was cool, so he felt it, but he could not feel the dirt itself upon his skin. 

Eventually he carefully lifted one of his hands to meet Zach’s while the other continued to play with the dirt. 

Zach paid no mind. He stood,hand in pocket, eyes forward, frankly kind of bored. 

He let his mind wander until he felt something. 

Shaking.

Milo’s hand was shaking. 

Zach looked down the the boy and found him shivering

“Milo,” Zach called, “Are you okay.”  
Milo looked up, “I’m fine,” he said quickly, then turning his face back to the dirt. 

He gripped Zach’s hand, tighter than usual. 

Zach didn’t believe him for a second. 

“Come on,” he urged, pulling Milo up slightly, “Let’s go explore the rest of the facility,”

Zach helped Milo to his feet and they went exploring. Zach tried to let Milo do most of his own walking, but he occasionally gave him assistance. They got out of the cave area and made it into the more developed hospital section. 

“This is probably where you’ll be spending most of your time,” said Zach as they made their way through the metal lined hallway, “We don’t have any doctors right now, but-” Zach wasn’t sure how long it would be until they had a doctor. The city had a shortage and no one was sending aid. He doubted they’d spare a doctor for the resistance hospital. 

Milo wandered ahead, looking in the empty rooms. He explored the few rooms they had, sitting on hospital beds and feeling around. At one point he found a filing cabinet and began playing around with the papers. He didn’t read them or anything, he just threw them around. 

Zach picked up the papers that slipped from the files. He didn’t mind too much, as long as Milo was having fun. Stimulation was good for the boy.

Milo grabbed the large pile of files from the drawer and threw it into the air, entertained by how the paper floated and wanting to see more.

“No, Milo!” Zach called, rushing towards the boy who curiously watched the paper float towards the ground. Zach shoved the file drawer shut before beginning to grab papers out of the air, “Milo, you can’t just do things like that.”

Milo ignored his caregiver. The curious boy grabbed a sheet out of the air and tore it in half,

“Milo!” Zach yelled, dropping the papers he’s collected and grabbing Milo’s hands.

“What?” asked Milo, staring innocently at Zach, 

“These papers aren’t meant to be thrown around, now someone has to organize them again. If you want paper we’ll get you paper, just not this paper.” Zach looked around the room. The floor and counters were covered in sheets.

“Man I really hope no one was using these,” he mumbled. Zach looked for a solution. He didn’t want to spend the day organizing these files and he was sure Milo didn’t either.

“We can put them back together,” said Milo.   
“You really want to spend the whole day organizing these papers?” Zach inquired 

Milo shrugged, “I don’t mind…” Milo wanted to say more. He wanted to tell Zach he wanted to work on his reading, but he didn’t want to admit his lack of skill in that area to someone so astute. 

“Well,” Zach rubbed the back of his neck, looking over the papers again, “I guess if you want to. Just- promise you won’t tear any up.”

Milo didn’t promise. Instead he sat on the floor and started picking up papers. 

Zach pulled up a chair. Before he sat down he began collecting the manilla folders, “Okay,” he started, “First we’ll collect the folders and put them in alphabetical order. Then we’ll collect the papers and go through them individually, just so they’re easier to handle. Sound good?”

Milo was tearing something up, 

“Milo, no!” Zach called, snatching the half torn paper from Milo’s hands. “I told you not to tear anything up!”

Milo drew in at Zach’s tone, “I-I’m sorry,” Milo stuttered, “I just- I like the sound. I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.”

Zach eased. “It’s alright,” he said, keeping his tone light, “When we’re done here I’ll get you some paper you can tear up. You still want to organize this mess, right?”

Milo nodded, not looking at Zach. 

“Alright, then, just- don’t tear anything else up. I’ll collect the folders, you get to work on the papers.”

The two did their jobs and soon had a system going. They began organizing the piles of papers into letters to later be added to files and alphabetized.

Zach noticed Milo taking a little too long to read the names on the papers. 

“Milo?” Zach questioned after a few papers, “What are you doing?”

Milo jumped at the sound of his name. He had been trying to read the name “Martha.” and knew he was getting it wrong but couldn’t figure out what was right, “Oh,” Milo looked between the paper and his caregiver, “Just- reading the name.”   
Zach rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, “Are you- having trouble?”

“No,” Milo answered quickly. He averted his eyes from Zach’s gaze. 

“It’s okay if you are,” Zach explained, “I mean, you were taken away when you were seven and I doubt you education was on Doofenshmirtz mind. If you want to practice reading...I don’t mind.”

Milo gripped the paper in his hand, still not looking at his friend, “I didn’t want you to think I was stupid,” he mumbled. 

“Pft, I wouldn’t have thought you were stupid. I mean, come on, how much did you actually learn in that cell?”

“A bit, your mom- uh, I mean EU-17...She’d go over words with me, among other things.”

Zach was surprised. He didn’t know how to reply, “That was,” he paused, “That was nice of her.”

Now he was the one averting his eyes, “Lets just get to these files,” he mumbled quickly, grabbing the sheet out of Milo’s hand, “I can help you with your reading and all that if you want, whenever you want.”

Milo let out a small smile, “That would be nice- thanks.”

“No problem.”

So they went through sheet after sheet. Milo had to read the name then spell it out loud. He got a few things wrong and struggled quite thoroughly on a few of the names but, other than that, he did quite well for his lack of education. 

“M-Melo Murp-he.” 

“It’s an F sound, and the ‘i’ is pronounced like a ‘y’” Zach explained, looking between Milo and the paper, “Oh hey, this one’s yours. Just remember those rules for next time.”

Milo gave a slight nod, taking back his paper, “Milo Murphy,” he read, correctly that time. Milo scanned his sheet, reading over some of it’s contents, “Op- opioid,” He pronounced correctly, then looking to Zach, “What is that?”

‘It’s a type of medicine,” Zach answered, hardly paying attention as he organized the papers into files.

“Is- is that what she gave me?”

“What?” Zach looked up from his work. He snatched the file from Milo’s fingers, “Yes. Now come on, we’re almost done.” 

It didn't take then much longer to finish up the filing. When all of the files were set Zach put them back in the cabinet, “finally,” he breathed, shutting the cabinet. 

A few seconds later all of the drawers rolled out of their place and the filing cabinet fell over, spilling files everywhere. 

“Okay we’re leaving.” Zach proclaimed, taking Milos hand and dragging him out of the room. 

“Sorry,” Milo apologized

“For what?” 

“That was probably my fault.” 

Zach half scoffed, “how could that have possibly been your fault?”

Milo shrugged, “stuff like that just- happens around me.” 

Zach racked his brain for a reply but found none, “let's just keep going,” he said, practically dragging Milo through the hallway. 

Milo pulled out of Zach's grip and began walking on his own. The hospital area was somewhat large, but also very empty. Milo continued to look through the rooms but this time was careful not to touch anything. 

Zach observed the boy as they made their way along. 

Milo was tense. He was shivering bit tried his hardest to hire it. The facility was cool but Milo was sweating. 

Zach didn't like this. Something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Was Milo sick? That would made sense, considering the sudden transition from cell to semi-normal life. Stress like that could cause a fever. 

“Milo,” Zach called, catching up to the boy. As soon as he was by Milos side the sickly boy took Zach's hand, 

“What's this room?” Miko asked. 

The room was full of shelves stocked with bandages, IV’s, creams, and. prescriptions, among many other things. 

“It's just the stock room. They keep medicine and first aid stuff in here,” Zach explained, “actually this is perfect,” Zach flipped on the light and lead Milo to a chair sitting against the right wall, 

“stay put,” 

Milo stood to follow Zach, 

“No, no, no,” Zach said, backing Milo up the the chair, “you stay here. I’ll just be right there. Okay,” Zach began slowly backing away, making sure Milo didn't move. Ad soon as it seemed safe Zach turned and began searching through the cupboards

“What are you looking for?” Milo inquired 

“I am looking for a thermostat. Ah ha, found one.” 

Zach made his way back over to the boy, “My mom's taken your temperature before, right?” he asked, sticking the thermostat out.

Without a word Milo took it in his mouth and shoved it under his tongue.

“I'll take that as a yes,” Zach mumbled. When it becomes he took it out and read aloud the number, “99.7...well, that's not too bad. How are you feeling?” 

Milo didn't want to tell him how he felt. Frankly he felt sick. He was trying to hold in his shivers but that just caused him to shiver even more. Sweat dripped from his brow, and his stomach grumbled with hunger. 

Milo didn't want to complain. He didn't want to say he was hungry, or sick because that was never allowed unless he was with The Doctor. 

Zach knelt in front of the boy and put a hand on his knee, “Milo, if you're feeling sick you have to tell me. It's okay.” Zach kept his voice soft and calm. He didn't want to startle the boy. 

“I’m fine,” Milo insisted, clearly uncomfortable. His eyes began to water as his body tensed up. 

“Milo, just tell me what's wrong. What hurts, what feels sick, please, I’m here to help you.” Zach pleaded. 

Milo hugged himself trying to keep himself from shaking, “I don't know,” he cried “there's noth-” Milos eyes widened. He threw a hand to his mouth before leaving from his chair and rushing to the middle of the floor where he proceeded to throw up.

Zach cringed. 

He made his way over to the boy and put a hand on his back, “come on, buddy,” he urged, helping Milo to his feet. 

Zach decided trying to get Milo all the way back to his room would be too much, so he settled for lying Milo on a hospital bed. 

“Just stay here,” Zach instructed, helping Milo into the bed, “I’ll get you some water. Do you need anything else,” 

“Zach I’m fine,” Milo insisted. 

“Milo you are not fine,” Zach nearly snapped, “I'll get you something to clean your mouth with, now don't go anywhere.” 

Zach rushed out of the room. He searched around the facility until he found what he was looking for. He returned to Milo, who was on his side eyes clenched shut, trying to control his own shivering. 

Zach was beginning to panic. He rested the water on the table beside the bed before rushing to get a towel, “this is what they do right?” Zach asked himself as he ran a hand towel under warm water with the intention of putting it over Milo's forehead. 

“Oh, I have no clue!” Zach rushed back over to Milo. 

He began crossing out the possibilities. Milo didn't have a fever, but he was nauseous, and shaking. His eyes were watering. But Zach assumed that was just from the pain. His muscles were aching. But that was probably because of the muscle damage. 

“Milo, what's wrong?” He asked again, growing more panicked, “please just tell me what's wrong!” 

“Nothing- is -wrong.” Milo insisted through shallow, shaking breaths. 

Zach growled with frustration. He wanted to help the boy but he didn't know how if Milo wouldn't tell him what was wrong. 

“We need a doctor,” Zach breathed trying to keep himself calm, “but we don't have a doctor!” He was beginning to freak out again as he took hold of his head. 

Then something dawned on him

“I’ll be right back!” He called rushing out of the room. 

\--------------

Eileen Underwood sat in her cell. It was well lit, with a soft cot for her to lay on. Her hands were cuffed together. Bridget feared someone so smart may be able to figure a way out, so she kept her shackled. The chain between her hands was long, so it wasn’t too uncomfortable, but it was still ridiculous. 

She felt like an animal. Chained up and caged. 

It was demeaning.

Eileen was once a respected surgeon, one of the best in her field. She was a good doctor. She knew what she was doing, but still she wondered if she’d gone too far. Was what she done to Milo worthy of a crime? Technically she’d taken part in keeping a kidnapped minor captive, while at the same time giving him treatment against his will. 

Milo had every right to deny treatment, but he didn’t even know he was being treated. He had no idea what was going on, and had he known...had he known would he have wanted it? 

Dr. Underwood was awoken from her thoughts by the creak of her cell door. 

It slid away, revealing Zach, panicking and out of breath, on the other side. 

“Zach?” Eileen questioned as her son rushed into the room. 

“I need your help,” he said, unlocking her cuffs, “Milo’s sick, and- I-I don’t know what to do. He’s shaking, a-and he’s sweating, and he threw up, and there’s no one else here!”

“Zach,” his mother called sternly, putting a hand on his shoulder as she stood up, “Calm down, please. Just tell me what his symptoms are on the way. Okay?”

Zach took in a deep breath, “Okay,” he breathed, calming slightly, “Okay.” 

“Now where is he?”

Zach lead his mother to the hospital area. He explained what’d happened on the way. 

“And he doesn’t have a fever?” Eileen asked after Zach explained the symptoms. 

“No, he was a little over heated, I guess, but no fever.”

“Alright, Zach,” Dr. Underwood stopped in front of Milo’s door and turned to her son. She spoke smoothly and clearly, “What Milo is experiencing is withdrawl,” she said, “It’s not going to kill him, but he is very uncomfortable and he needs treatment. I need you to get me some things from the stock room, can you do that?”

“Withdrawal!” Zach called, “He’s going through withdrawal!? he’s thirteen years old!”

Eileen grabbed her son by the arms, “Zach, I tried my hardest to keep this from happening, apparently I didn’t do well enough. Now if you want to help your friend you’re going to get the things I need and I am going to treat him before anyone gets back, do you understand?” 

After another second Zach nodded, furiously. 

The doctor gave him a short list of things he had to get before making her way into Milo’s room. 

“Milo? How are you feeling?” she asked, putting a hand to his forehead. 

“I’m fine,” he insisted. He looked up at her, “Y-you’re not going to put any needles in me...are you?” his voice cracked at the end.   
Elien shook her head, “No, Milo, but I will need you to swallow some pills, do you think you can do that?”

Milo gave a weak nod. 

“Alright, just try to breath. You’re going to feel bad for a few days, but when it’s over you’ll feel much better, alright? You just have to let it run it’s course right now.”

Zach returned with the things she asked for. Dr. Underwood was honestly surprised that they had everything. 

“Alright, now I’m going to give him some regular pain relievers to help with his muscle pain. You do everything you can to make him comfortable. He’ll be feeling a bit of anxiety, try to talk him through it. He’ll say he’s fine, just don’t believe him. And don’t let him leave this room,” the last part came out stern, “He needs to rest. Make sure he gets plenty of fluids. I’ll be giving him a few things to help ease his symptoms. You said he threw up?”

“Yeah, once.”

“Okay, he might again. Just watch out.” She grabbed a clipboard from the table and began writing down some instructions, “Just follow these instructions,” she said, handing the board to Zach, “And he should be fine. Withdrawal is temporary, but it is uncomfortable and painful. Maybe try to keep him distracted.”

Zach put a hand on his head as he read over the instructions, “How did this happen?”

“It’s my fault. He needed relief, I didn’t know what else to do.” she began administering treatment. 

Milo managed to swallow the pills given to him with minimal difficulty. He had to take three different medication, one of which was quite large. He opted out until The Doctor cut it in half. 

She stayed for another hour to monitor his progress before deciding she could leave the rest to Zach, who had been running around gathering blankets and pillows. 

Eilen headed towards the door, “You can take me back to my cell now.” she said, as Zach helped Milo to get more comfortable. 

Zach ran to meet her, “What do you mean? You're done already?” 

“You should he able to handle the rest on your own. I need to get back or we’ll both be in trouble.”

“Oh...right,” Zach kept his eyes to the floor as they walked. 

Eilen noticed this behavior, and leaned over slightly to look at him, “what's wrong?” She asked. 

Zach hesitated before speaking, “earlier when you said that this was your fault,” he paused to look at her, “what did you mean by that.” 

Dr. Underwood stood up straight, eyes forward, “I was the one who gave him the drugs in the first place. He was-” she let out a small sigh “He was just in so much pain. I didn’t know what else to do. I was also the one who kept administering them. Therefore, it is my fault.”

“Well if he was in pain then giving him medicine is okay, right?”

“Not if it’s against his will...you were right, Zach, I was treating him against his will. It wasn’t right and I shouldn’t have done it.”

Zach was taken aback, “Are you kidding!?”

Eileen was surprised by his tone. Her son continued, “That’s crazy! You did what you thought was right and they shouldn’t put you away for that! You saved his life, you took away his pain! You shouldn’t be walking back to a cell right now, this isn’t right! This isn’t fair!” He slammed his fist into the wall before his knees bucked beneath him and he fell to the floor. 

His mother was at his side in an instant. She put her arm around him as tears slipped past his eyes, “You’re a good doctor,” he said quietly, “You did the right thing,” he looked to his mother, “Why do they want to put you away for that?” 

Zach had been holding this in since they’d arrested her. She wasn’t a bad woman. She did all she could, and still everyone seemed to have something against her. She was a good person, Zach knew that better than anyone. Maybe every choice she made wasn’t considered the best to other people, but what else was she supposed to do? She hadn’t helped kidnap him, she would have been risking his life of she'd tried to get him out, she practiced medicine in such limited conditions the best she could, and did everything she could for Milo. 

She wasn’t a criminal. She didn’t belong in a cell. She didn’t belong in handcuffs or to be taken away from her son. 

So why was she?

Zach wiped his eyes as his mother drew him into a hug. 

“I miss you,” Zach whispered through shaky breaths, 

“I know,” his mother whispered back, “But I have to answer for my crimes. There’s no getting out of that.”

Zach pulled away to look at her, “But you didn’t do anything wrong.”

Eilen wiped a tear off his cheek, “Maybe to you I didn’t” her voice was soft, “But to the people here, I was just another one of Doofenshmirtz pawns. They won’t see me as anything else.”

Zach’s brow furrowed as he felt more tears press at the back of his eyes. He threw his hands around his mom. 

He wanted to hold her forever. He didn’t want her to be taken away. 

But yet, she had to be.

For now anyways. 

Eilen urged her son to continue on and return her to the cell. 

When they got there she went in and returned the cuffs to her wrists. 

She noticed that Zach was hesitating to shut the door. 

She made her way over and put a hand to his cheek, “I’ll be fine,” she said quietly, then giving her son a light smile, “Go take care of him.”

Zach let out a breath. His mother stepped away so he could close the door. He did. Slowly. 

He gave his mother once last glance before heading back to Milo. 

\---------------

“I don’t remember much,” said Milo, now surrounded by pillows with a series of back up blankets resting at the end of his bed, “I get flashes sometimes, and - things are familiar, but I don’t recognize them. It’s just a feeling.” 

“I get that,” said Zach, “Do you need any more water?”

“N-no, I’m fine for now...I’m sorry to be causing so much trouble.”

“What have I told you? You don’t have to apologize for anything. You’re healing, we’re going to have to help you, that’s why I’m here, to help you.”

Milo looked around, “Where did your mom go?”

“EU-17 had to return to her cell.”

Milo half scowled, “Stop calling her that,” 

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, she’s your mom, you should be calling her your mom. No one can force you to call her anything else.” 

Zach was surprised by how coherent those thoughts seemed to be. 

“Well, if I get caught calling her anything else I could get in trouble.”

“With who? my so-called mother?”

Zach was taken aback, “She is your mother, and she lost an arm trying to get you back, you should show her more respect than that.”

Milo gave just the tiniest smirk, “I know,” he said, “And you should call your mom what she is- your mom.”

Zach was confused. Was Milo trying to get at something? did he just try to pull a trick? 

Milo fiddled with his blanket, his demeanor suddenly changing as he looked away from his caregiver,

“Zach...when I was in my cell, and even now, I couldn’t remember anything. I didn’t know who I was, or where I came from, and I still don’t, not really,” he trailed off, taking a pause, “I liked to believe there was someone outside those walls who cared about me,” another pause “But- in there- the only person who cared about me was your mother. And if she cared about me so much, someone who wasn’t even her own son, well-” he finally looked at Zach, “I can imagine she really cared about you. How can I live taking someone away from their own son, like my mother was taken away from hers? My mother wants her to be locked up- but...that just doesn’t make sense to me.”

Zach shook his head, “Milo, I told you, don’t consider me in your decision.”

“But she didn’t do anything wrong, anyways, so my decision shouldn’t be that hard but...it is. You’re the one factor I need.”

“No,” Zach said sternly, “I know...I know what she is, she’s a good doctor who did the best she could, but if she hurt you, if her treatments caused you to have the problems that you have and you want her put away, there is no trial or jury, there’s you. There’s just you. You are the only one who matters here.”

“I’m not-”

“Yes you are! I want to believe everything she did was for the best, but you experienced it. You were the one effected by it. Please, please, Milo, don’t base your decision on me.”

Milo lowered his head, “Okay,” he said quietly, “I- I’ll try.” 

They sat there in silence for a while until Milo looked to Zach again, 

“Zach?” 

“What?”

“C- uh- can I have your hand?”

Zach looked at his hand, “They’re not very cold right now. I can get you some paper if you want.”

Milo nodded but said nothing. 

“Alright, just give me a few minutes. Don’t go anywhere.” 

Zach managed to find some printer paper. He returned to Milo and let the boy tear it up, leaving a pile of scrap on the bed for Zach to clean up. 

Though he was not keen on being the clean up crew Zach was happy to see Milo getting his thoughts back. It had been two days since Milo had been brought in and the boy had hardly spoken to anyone but Zach, and even that was rare. 

He seemed to be afraid of his own mother and he was almost never awake to really interact with Melissa, who he was much more comfortable with. 

For the past two days before Milo decided he wanted to get up and walk around he’d been staring at walls trying his hardest to actually remember anything, trying to figure if the feeling of familiar would help him at all. 

All he really wanted was fresh air. 

The caves weren't bad, certainly better than his cell, but, like his cell, there were no windows. In the caves there was just dirt walls and machines. 

It was cooler, which Milo liked, but there was no fresh air, which Milo longed for. He wanted to go upstairs. Zach knew that. But he couldn't take him there. 

As Milo ripped up paper Zach read over the list of things his mother wanted him to do, “change bandages?” He read aloud, confused by the instruction, “Milo do you know what she means by that?” 

Milo thought for a moment, “on my back,” he came up with, “she'd always put bandages on my back. Maybe that's what she means. Those haven't been changed for days.” 

Zach stood up, placing the clipboard on his chair as he did, and went to stand closer to Milo, “what's on your back?” Zach inquired. 

“Burns.” Milo answered stiffly, concentrating all of his attention to the paper, “they hurt a lot...but you don't have to wrap them if you don't want to.” 

“No, I’ll change them, just taken off your shirt, I’ll get the supplies.” 

Milo did as he was told as Zach made his way to the stockroom to grab some gauze and 'goop’ as his mother called it. It was a cooling and pain relieving agent used mostly for burns. 

Zach made his way back in the room. Milo fiddled with the shirt in his hands as Zach made his way over. 

Zach was not prepared for what he saw. 

Crawling across Milos back were three large burn marks, stemming over former scars. They were red. The edges of the skin were charred. There were two coating his shoulder blades while the third rested on his lower back. Lightning like patterns stemmed from a hole in the middle of each. 

It was a hole. 

It was a sizable divot

Zach dropped the gauze. 

It looked as though this kid had been burned hundred of times! As though someone had stuck a few lightning rods through him and left him laying in the middle of a field. 

Zach swallowed the words caught in his throat, “I-” he squeaked out, then clearing his throat, “I need some more supplies, just- just stay put.” 

Zach rushed back to the stockroom. He returned with a few different types of gauze, a pack of cotton mats and some alcohol for cleaning the wound. 

“Okay,” Zach breathed. He's never wrapped a wound so big before. Milo was lucky this thing wasn't infected. Dr. Underwood must have done a pretty good job keeping track of it. 

Zach had to think for a second. Where should he start? 

Before even wrapping the wound Zach suggested Milo take a shower. 

“Why?” Asked Milo, “I took one a few days ago.” 

“I should wrap it when it’s clean,” Zach explained, “it's been riding in its own blood and char for a few days, you should clean it out. It also might make you feel better in general.” 

Milo shrugged, “If you say so.” 

He slowly climbed from the bed and made his way to the hospital room shower. 

Zach brought him a fresh set of clothes then waited patiently for him to be done. 

Milo had to admit that Zach was right about it making him feel better. The water was warm and inviting. The water Milo was allowed to use in the tower was always cold or lukewarm, so warm water was something Milo didn't know he wanted until he had. 

Milo was lost in the feeling. He was able to clear his thoughts and think about the big decision he would have to make regarding Zach’s mother. 

And his own 

Milo didn’t know his mother. He didn’t recognize her. He remembered her. He remembered her clear as day, and that woman. The woman who helped to liberate him, the woman who returned to the resistance, who had one arm and a stone face,

She was not his mother 

Milo did not recognise her, not one bit. He almost didn’t believe her when she told him who she was. The mother Milo remembered was soft and kind, but tough and hard at the same time. 

This new woman, she was made of stone. She was not soft or warm. She seemed delusional, on the edge of cruel. Her mind often seemed elsewhere and her judgement seemed skewed. 

What happened to the woman Milo remembered? 

Where did she go?

There came a loud knock at the door, jolting Milo from his thoughts, 

“Milo!” Zach called, “You’ve been in there for an hour!” 

“Oh,” at that moment Milo slipped, grabbing the curtain on his way down and pulling it out of the wall, “I’ll be right out!” he called from underneath the curtain.

“Are you okay?!”

“I’m fine I just slipped! This happens a lot.”

“Do you need any help?” Zach cracked the door open and was about to enter before Milo yelled at him not to come in, and threw something at the door. 

“Hm, good arm,” Zach mumbled, heading back to his chair to continue waiting. 

Milo came out a few minutes later. He didn’t bother putting on his shirt, knowing he would be taking it off in just a few minutes. 

“Feel better?” asked Zach, standing up to help him into bed should the need arise. 

“Much better, actually,” Milo said quietly, climbing back on the bed.

Zach took a towel to Milo’s back before beginning to wrap the wounds. He had to make sure the area he was wrapping was dry before he started.

“So, how often did my mom do something with these?” asked Zach, taking the lid off the alcohol. 

Milo shrugged, “Every time I visited with her, which wasn’t very often.”

Zach applied the alcohol then laid down the cotton, “I’m just going to wrap it all the way around, lean back a bit. How often did you see her?”

Milo shrugged, “I’m not sure, days weren’t very clear when I was in the cell.”

“Straighten out a bit. Where did these marks come from, anyways?”

A noise cracked through Milo’s mind. 

The lightning. 

Milo’s hand flew to his suddenly hurting head as memories flashed through his mind. Memories he wished he did not have. 

“I’d- I’d rather not talk about it,” he stuttered quietly. 

He flinched as another bolt of lighting shoved its way through his mind. 

“Milo?” Zach questioned, “Are you okay?”

Before Milo knew it he was shivering, unable to get words out.

“Milo?” Zach asked again, “How do you feel? Are your symptoms coming back?”

It had been a while since Milo took his medicine. 

“Milo, do you feel sick? I need to know what to give you. Do your muscles ache?”

Milo just nodded. 

He hadn’t felt perfect the last few hours but he’d certainly felt better. Now he was beginning to feel worse. 

“Okay, uh-” Zach referred back to the instructions. He needed to know how many hours between doses, “Alright, it’s been three hours, I can give you-” Zach scanned the few bottles of pills on the bed side table, “This one,” he proclaimed, picking up a yellow bottle, “Let me just get you some more water, don’t go anywhere.”

Zach made his way to the sink in the next room to fill up Milo’s water glass. 

“Zach,” 

The stern voice made Zach jump, causing him to drop the cup in the sink. He turned around to find Mrs. Murphy in the doorway. 

“Commander,” Zach stated, “You scared me.”

“Where’s Milo?” she asked, after taking a short look around, “I thought I assigned you to be his caregiver.”

“Oh he’s- I’m just,” Zach’s eyes fell on the crossbow in bridgets hand. He gulped, “Getting him some water,” Zach finally said, lifting the glass out of the sink.

Bridget narrowed her eyes, “Well where’s Milo,” she asked again. Her voice was cold. 

“He’s just in the next room,”

“What is he doing in the hospital sector?” She seemed to be growing angry, 

“He wanted to explore the facility, but he started to feel sick so I let him rest, he’s-” Zach paused. He couldn’t tell her about the withdrawal. If he told Bridget Murphy her thirteen year old was experiencing withdrawal from the drugs Dr. Underwood had been giving him Milo’s choice would go out the window. Bridget would put Zach’s mother away for life, no questions asked. 

“He-” Zach hesitated, “Uh, he has a fever.”

Bridget raised her brow, “A fever?” she questioned, almost skeptically.

“Yeah,” Zach began filling the cup back up, “Why don’t you go see him? He’s just in the next room over.”

Bridget threw her crossbow over her shoulder, “Alright,” she agreed, “We can go together.” 

Mrs. Murphy’s voice was soft, smooth and cool. It was terrifying. 

Zach and Bridget made their way to Milo’s room. 

Bridgets hard face lightened to a smile upon seeing her son. He was laying in the bed surrounded by comfort. Bridget was glad her son was being so well treated, otherwise she may have had to have a word with Zach. 

“Hi Milo,” she greeted, approaching the bed. She stole Zach’s seat and scooted it closer to the bed, “I hear you have a fever,”

Milo just gave a light nod

“Doh,” Bridget mused, putting a hand to her son’s cheek to feel how warm he was. 

Milo flinched away slightly, causing his mother to quickly remove her hand, “Sorry, sweetie,” she said, “I know you don’t like to be touched. Feel better, I’ll be in to check on you.” she rested a light hand on his wrist before standing up, “I should be back within a few hours,” she was tempted to give him a kiss on the forehead, but she knew that would only scare him. 

She turned to Zach before leaving, “Make sure he gets better,” she said. It almost sounded like a warning. 

Zach gave her a nod, “yes ma’am,” he said quietly. 

With that Bridget was gone. 

Zach let out the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding in. He sat on the edge of the bed next to Milo and handed him the water as he sat up “She is scary,” Zach mumbled, grabbing one of the pill bottles from the table, “Has she always been like that?”

“No,” Milo answered quickly, keeping his eyes on the water in the glass. 

Zach was surprised he actually answered, believing Milo had almost no memories of his mother. 

“So…” Zach trailed off, handing Milo his medication, “You remember her?”

“She’s just about the only thing I remember,” said Milo before downing the pills. He took a moment to compose himself before speaking again, “That wasn’t her,” he said quietly, looking towards the door.

Milo gripped his glass as tight as he could. His shaking body stiffened, “I don’t know who that is.” 

Zach’s brow furrowed with concern, “What was she like?” he asked, taking the glass from Milo’s hands.

Milo took in a deep breath, “She was,” he let it out, “Soft,” he said, “And warm. She was just- nice. She was tough, but not overly so,”

Zach began wrapping Milo’s wounds as he spoke, 

“She was kind, and he voice- her voice was calm and smooth, but not cold, like it is now. And she never scowled at people, not unless they deserved it anyways. She wasn’t cruel, or manipulative, she didn’t intimidate those not in need of intimidating.”

Zach couldn't imagine a Bridgett like that. The only commander he knew was cold and calculating. Her brow was almost always pressed into a scowl and her voice was cold and intimidating. That was all she was, that was what everyone knew her for now. 

“Melissa says she lost her mind,” Zach spit out, hardly think. The instant he said it he covered his mouth, ‘Milo, I’m sorry- I didn’t mean-”

“No.” Milo interrupted, “She probably did. I know I did.” he looked up at Zach, “It looks like we’ve both got some healing to do.”

\------------

Zach yawned. It was late. Milo had finally fallen asleep after who knows how many hours. He stayed up talking and reading, as well as trying to work through his withdrawal symptoms. Milo was trying to get his mind off all the things rushing through it. Zach had to practically exhaust the boy to get him to fall asleep. 

Zach rubbed his eyes.

He needed to stay awake for another hour, at least. Milo hadn’t fallen asleep that long ago, Zach wanted to be awake just incase Milo woke up and needed something. 

Zach had been sleeping in chairs for the past three days. His muscles ached and his back hurt. He was Milo’s caregiver, though, which, as Bridget told him, meant staying with Milo 24/7, 365, until he was well enough to do most things on his own, and a majority of his memory came back. 

Zach didn’t mind horribly. At least he and Milo weren’t alone, each keeping the other company. 

Zach was never fond of in field missions anyways, and it wasn’t as though he could really sleep easy now that his mother was probably going to prison for the rest of her life. It wasn’t as though he had anywhere to be, or anything to do, or anyone to spent time with. 

It was just Zach and Milo against the world. 

Both doing the best they could.


End file.
